Tag: draft crushes

The 2020 NFL draft is upon us.

In just eight days, we’ll know who the Chiefs have selected with pick No. 32 and we’ll be looking forward to the second round. It’s time to hear from some of the Chiefs Wire staff about the players we’ve got a crush on during this draft season. These players could be surefire first-rounders, guys with high upside, sleepers, or really any of a multitude of draft cliches.

Last year the Chiefs didn’t pick up any of our draft crushes, but perhaps this year will bring different results.

We all have draft crushes so be sure to share yours with us via Twitter or Facebook. Here’s a look at some of our 2020 NFL Draft crushes:

Charles Goldman’s crushes
Twitter: @goldmctNFL

Georgia DB J.R. Reed

I feel like this safety class is underrated and Reed is one of the players flying most under-the-radar. He has strong NFL bloodlines, with his dad (Vikings WR Jake Reed) and uncle (Chiefs DB Dale Carter). You can tell that growing up around them and the game of football impacts how he sees things on the field. He’s a really heady player and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2019 because of it.

Reed had one of the top coverage grades among safeties since 2018 according to PFF. That really matches up with the tape, because he has great reaction time and range. His teammates voted him in as a team captain because he’s a great competitor and leader. He’d finish his Bulldogs career with 42 games played, 199 tackles, five interceptions, 14 passes defended, three sacks, nine tackles for loss and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs invested heavily in rebuilding the safety position in 2019 with Tyrann Mathieu signed and Juan Thornhill drafted. Adding a player like Reed would add another layer of sophistication on the back end with the ability to play in Cover 2 looks, single high and in the box. He also has high-upside as a special teams player

LSU OG Damien Lewis

This is a player who is beloved by his coaches and teammates. You couldn’t pay someone to say something bad about him. Lewis has a team-first attitude and he’s a hard worker, as evidenced by his ability to start 27 straight games (national title game included) for the LSU Tigers after joining the team out of JUCO.

Lewis is known as a finisher as a blocker. Pass protection or run-blocking, it doesn’t matter, he’s trying to put the man opposite him on his back. He’s also a lot more nimble than you’d think a 6-2 and 327-pound offensive lineman would be. He had a pair of blocks during the Senior Bowl on a screen pass touchdown, and I know those plays had Chiefs head coach Andy Reid salivating about what this player could do in his offense.

Historically, the Chiefs haven’t gone out of their way to invest high draft picks in interior offensive linemen since Reid arrived. The highest-drafted was Mitch Morse who the team took in the second round in 2015. They’ve gone with veteran guys or drafted guys in the late rounds to develop. Perhaps that changes in this draft if a player like Lewis is available.

Illinois RB Reggie Corbin

I’m going to stay true to at least one of my way-too-early draft crushes. Corbin stands at 5-10 and just over 200 pounds. He’s elusive with ankle-breaking ability but also surprisingly powerful. He’s shown the ability to run between the tackles but also can be deadly when given space. His catching ability shows promise, with 38 career catches for over 340 yards. It’s one of the reasons I think he could find success in the Chiefs offense.

Corbin had one of the best seasons by a running back in 2018. He recorded 1,085 rushing yards for the Fighting Illini, a number that is good for the 10th-most rushing yards by a running back in program history. He did it on a team that didn’t have a great offensive line and only won four games. His 8.48 yards per carry in 2018 were third in the entire FBS. His 2019 season wasn’t quite as successful, rushing for just 4.7 yards per carry with fewer yards and touchdowns on more touches. He was among the standout players at the East-West Shrine Game, showing off quickness in the passing game and great vision in the ground game.

Historically, the Chiefs haven’t valued the running back position all that highly. They haven’t taken a running back in the first round since Larry Johnson in 2003. I don’t expect that they take one with a top draft pick given the depth that this class has. You could likely wait and grab a player like Corbin in the late rounds and see the same type of success.