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Kansas City Chiefs: 5 Targets in first round of 2019 NFL Draft

By Randy Gurzi

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 02: Taylor Rapp #21 of the Washington Huskies runs back an interception during their game against the Colorado Buffaloes in the Pac-12 Championship game at Levi's Stadium on December 2, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 02: Taylor Rapp #21 of the Washington Huskies runs back an interception during their game against the Colorado Buffaloes in the Pac-12 Championship game at Levi's Stadium on December 2, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 20: A general view during the national anthem prior to the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Jason Hanna)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 20: A general view during the national anthem prior to the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Jason Hanna) /

The Kansas City Chiefs fell just short of a Super Bowl berth a season ago. Here are five first-round targets in the 2019 NFL Draft as they look to get over that hump

Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs took the NFL by storm. While they have been a competitive franchise ever since hiring head coach Andy Reid in 2013, they really took a step forward in 2018.

The biggest reason for this improvement was the move from Alex Smith to Patrick Mahomes under center. Smith, who went 50-26 for the Chiefs in his five seasons was coming off his best season as a pro but was dealt to the Washington Redskins. Mahomes, despite being young and unproven, was expected to give their offense a much-needed shot in the arm. His promotion did that, and more.

Mahomes came out of the gates firing and quickly placed himself at the forefront of the MVP discussion. He ended up staying in front of that discussion by throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. Unfortunately, they didn’t get to the Super Bowl as they were defeated by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

More. Chiefs 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft. light

In that loss, Mahomes and the offense had to watch as the defense couldn’t stop Tom Brady and the Pats. This led to discussions about the NFL overtime rules, but the truth is the Chiefs are at fault — not the rule. They went into the season without a great defense and they stuck with a struggling defensive coordinator too long. Yes, it wasn’t good that Mahomes watched but the fact is the best team should win, not just the best offense.

With that in mind, Kansas City is going out this season and trying to fix their roster. They’ve made moves to add Emmanuel Ogbah, Tyrann Matthieu, and Alex Okafor. They could add even more in the draft — but they do also have offensive needs that need to be addressed especially with the uncertainty of Tyreek Hill’s future and Kareem Hunt’s release last season.

Understanding this, we look at five players the Chiefs should target in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft as they look to take their next step.

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