The Kansas City Chiefs are searching for answers after the Super Bowl embarrassment. Maybe they can find something at the end of April? Regardless, here are three players the Chiefs must avoid in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs must wait until pick No. 31 in the first round. Then they need to go about the business of getting plenty of line help. They need an offensive guard and tackle. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs could use defensive line help.
So it’s pretty obvious that any pick of a player who isn’t a lineman could be a bad pick. But will the Chiefs be tempted if a different position player drops into their lap?
Chiefs shouldn’t pick WR Luther Burden III
It will be tempting if the Missouri product slips to the No. 31 spot. But the Chiefs must avoid this temptation. It’s a real scenario, according to nbcsportsboston.com.
“Burden is a top-15 pick talent who could fall into the 20s,” Nick Goss wrote. “Some mock drafts have Burden falling all the way to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 31 overall, which would be a scary scenario for any defense that has to face Patrick Mahomes next season.”
Coming into the 2024 season, Burden topped some NFL Draft lists for wide receivers. However, he caught only 61 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns as Missouri’s offense struggled. Maybe the Chiefs might remember his 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine scores as a junior?
But don’t do it. The Chiefs lost the Super Bowl because of an offensive line that got manhandled by a defense that only needed to rush four and never blitz. The Chiefs have to fix that line first. They must say ‘no’ to Burden, despite this report from nfl.com.
“Former five-star recruit who offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.”
Again, the Chiefs must stick to their offensive-defensive line approach for the draft.
Do not draft TE Elijah Arroyo
Kansas City has picks at No. 63 and No. 66, and the University of Miami product may be available. But the Chiefs must stay the course. They still need two more linemen at this point and can’t take a chance with Arroyo.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid know the tight end position won’t be the same when Travis Kelce retires. And Arroyo is low-hanging fruit at the position, according to Daniel Jeremiah at nfl.com.
“Arroyo is an athletic, seam-stretching tight end with ideal size/length,” Jeremiah wrote. “He’s sudden in his release and he gains speed as he climbs down the field. (Arroyo is) at his best when he’s attacking vertically or running away from defenders on crossers. He isn’t a nuanced/polished route runner, but he has a good feel to find space when his quarterback scrambles.”
Man, this guy sounds like the right fit for Mahomes. But the Chiefs can’t stray from their game plan. Arroyo is also a risk because of injuries.
“The medical-evaluation portion of the draft process will be important for him given his injury history,” Jeremiah wrote.
Chiefs must avoid the RB temptation
When the Chiefs pick at the end of second round and early in the third, good running backs will almost surely still be on the board.
Included in that mix is Quinshon Judkins of Ohio State. The Chiefs are solid in the backfield, but Judkins could catch the organization’s eyes.
“Judkins is a powerful, compact runner with outstanding career production,” Jeremiah wrote. “He is very decisive and aggressive on inside runs. (Judkins) runs low to the ground and hunts the unblocked defender with a thirst for violence.”
See, the Chiefs already have that violence with Isaiah Pacheco. But do they have this?
“He has a vicious stiff arm, provided he doesn’t simply lower his shoulder and run through the defender,” Jeremiah wrote.
If this had been last year’s draft, the Chiefs might have been able to take a shot at one of these three players. But if they want to return to the Super Bowl again, they must make dramatic improvements along the line. And the draft is their last chance.
Overall, the Chiefs still have a strong roster. Making the right calls in the draft will likely be the key element in their bid to reach the Super Bowl for the sixth time in eight seasons.
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