The Kansas City Chiefs need some offensive reinforcements, with the offensive line the biggest need for Andy Reid. Jaylon Moore was signed to fill the left tackle position with Joe Thuney now in Chicago, but for most, that is just a band-aid move, as Moore has only made 12 starts in four seasons.
Due to that, many have the Chiefs taking an offensive lineman high in the draft, but there is also another position that isn’t necessarily a need, and it might sneak up on some people-running back. Kareem Hunt is a little older, and Isiah Pacheco is coming off an injury-plagued season, so too free agent signing Elijah Mitchell, adding a youthful back in the draft could be an option.
In Yahoo Sports’ latest mock draft, Oregon stud Josh Conerly Jr. is selected in the first round, and Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is taken in the third round. “Conerly made 28 college starts at left tackle and was largely steady,” Yahoo Sports writes. “He’s a smooth mover at 6-5, 311 pounds and should quickly develop into a strong starter at the NFL level. Skattebo’s thick build (5-9, 219 pounds) and top-tier contact balance should make him tough to tackle at the NFL level. That makes him a strong long-term partner for the speedy Pacheco.”
Most people have chosen Conerly Jr. in several mock drafts, and we get the sense that if he’s drafted, he will be considered Moore’s replacement either this year or next. As for Skattebo, he could be a long-term option for the Chiefs, with Hunt and Mitchell on one-year deals, and Pacheco entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Related: Chiefs Draft Could Be About A ‘Risk’ and a ‘Reach’ To Help Mahomes Exactly where Skattebo fits in the depth chart will make training camp interesting, but drafting a back this high likely sends the message that a battle will take place this offseason. So two offensive positions need reinforcing, and in Conerly Jr., the Chiefs get perhaps their left tackle of the future. With Skattebo, the franchise might also get its running back of the future, too.