Kansas City Chiefs: Seven-Round 2015 NFL Mock Draft

Who should the Kansas City Chiefs target in each round of the 2015 NFL Draft?

The Chiefs were one of the most inconsistent teams in the league in 2014, finishing up with a 9-7 record.

They were the only team in the NFL to beat both Super Bowl participants last season, with a Week 4 victory over the New England Patriots and a Week 11 win over the Seattle Seahawks. However, they lost games to both the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders, who combined for five total wins on the year.

With an impressive defense, and a conservative, but mostly effective offense, the Chiefs showed the ability to beat anybody last season. However, losing to teams like Tennessee and Oakland is simply unacceptable. If the Chiefs had just won those two very winnable games, they would have made the playoffs as a Wild Card team.

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Enough about last season, it is time for the Chiefs to start looking forward. The major needs on their roster are fairly obvious. After not completing a single touchdown pass to a wide receiver last season, the Chiefs clearly need to address that position this off season.

They have already released receivers Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins, and Dwayne Bowe will likely become a salary cap casualty. The Chiefs are clearly looking to bring some much needed new talent to the receiver position.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Chiefs will make a huge addition at wide receiver on Tuesday when free agency begins. Mortensen reports that Jeremy Maclin will reunite with his old head coach Andy Reid in Kansas City. If this proves to be true, it will be a major move in the right direction for Kansas City.

Offensive line is also a position of need for Kansas City. 2013 first overall pick Eric Fisher has yet to become the dominant left tackle that the Chiefs envisioned when they selected him. He is still young, and has some shown some potential, but Fisher may be better suited as a right tackle or guard.

The Chiefs’ best offensive lineman is center Rodney Hudson, who is an unrestricted free agent this off season. If the Chiefs lose Hudson in free agency, their offensive line needs grow rapidly.

Guys like Jeff Allen, Ryan Harris, Zach Fulton and Donald Stephenson bring nice depth to the position, but none of them are game changing offensive lineman. In an offense centered around running back Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs could really use some talent up front.

Defensively, the Chiefs could certainly use some depth on the defensive line and inside linebacker, but the team’s largest need is in the secondary. Cornerback Sean Smith was very good for Kansas City last season, but he becomes a free agent next season, and the team has nothing else to speak of at the position.

With the uncertainty surrounding Eric Berry’s health, the team could definitely use some depth at the safety position as well.

Now, these team needs could certainly change through free agency. However, with the Chiefs not expected to have much cap room to work with (especially after the expected signing of Maclin), I do not expect them to change too much. If the Chiefs are going to get better next season, a majority of their improvements must be made through the draft.

Fortunately for them, after losing a ton in free agency last off season, the Chiefs are expected to receive some serious draft pick compensation this year. Overthecap.com projects the Chiefs to receive a third-round compensatory pick (for losing Branden Albert), two fifth-round compensatory picks (Tyson Jackson and Jon Asamoah) and a seventh-round compensatory pick (Kendrick Lewis).

While these compensatory picks have not been officially announced, the Chiefs are clearly going to receive some additional picks. The projected compensatory picks have been added to this mock draft.

With all seven of their original picks, and the four projected compensatory picks, the Chiefs have 11 total picks projected in the 2015 NFL Draft. That could make for some serious trade maneuvering scenarios if the Chiefs choose to. If there is a player they highly covet in the first round, the Chiefs would have the draft currency to trade up and make it happen.

With major needs, and free agency expected to be difficult, the Chiefs must make some noise at the draft. Who will the Kansas City Chiefs select with their many picks in the 2015 NFL Draft?

Next: Round 1, Pick 18