Round 2, Pick 63 – Ohio State LB Malik Harrison

Harrison is listed at just under 6-feet-3 and 246 pounds. He’s not the most athletic linebacker in this class, but he’s perhaps the most well-rounded player at the position that I’ve seen. When playing the run and the pass he has a certain acuity to his game that is quite appealing.

One thing the Chiefs have lacked in their rebuilt linebacker corp is a player who excels in coverage. During the week of practice leading up to the Senior Bowl and even during the game, Harrison proved that coverage is perhaps his biggest strength. For a passing league, having linebackers who can cover is increasingly important.

Malik Harrison Senior Bowl:

3 Targets in coverage
1 Interception
2.8 Passer rating when targeted pic.twitter.com/lEzcysNIHD

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 27, 2020

Harrison is an excellent form-tackler and you’ll remember when he hits you. He plays with his eyes in the backfield, takes good angles and has a good sense of his gap responsibilities. He doesn’t get out of position often and he isn’t phased by window dressing such as motion or shifts.

Perhaps the best thing for Kansas City is that Harrison is versatile. He can fill in at the MLB, SLB, or WLB spots in a pinch. He’s played all three for the Buckeyes and at a high level too. That protects the team in the event of injury or future departures at the position.