With Super Bowl LVII in the rearview, everyone is turning their attention to the big NFL off-season events. Free agency is just around the corner, as is the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine and before we know it the NFL world will be flocking to Kansas City for the 2023 NFL draft.
Our friends at Touchdown Wire recently revealed their post-Super Bowl two-round mock draft. What are their plans for the Super Bowl champions? They have the Chiefs investing in the offensive side of the ball with both pick No. 31 and pick No. 63.
Here’s a quick look at the players they’re selecting for Kansas City:
31. Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
We’ve heard every year for the past several about how the Chiefs need to start looking for a Travis Kelce replacement given that he’s on the wrong side of 30. Yet, here’s Kelce coming off of another year of over 1,000 yards receiving, nearly setting the franchise record for receptions and setting a career-high in touchdown receptions. Your thinking here probably shouldn’t be, “Hey, let’s draft a Travis Kelce replacement.” It should instead be, “Hey, let’s draft the most complete prospect at tight end in this class because we have the luxury to do so.”
At 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, Mayer is a versatile option for a team looking for a guy who can do the dirty work in the trenches, but also pick up some serious yards in the passing game. Mayer can align in-line, on the wings or out on the perimeter as a blocker. He’s going to create movement whether he’s matched up against a defensive end, linebacker or defensive back.
As for Mayer’s expertise in the passing game, he’s managed 180 receptions for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in college, with a lot of those yards coming after the catch. He’s tough to bring down once he has the ball in his hands and he’s a weapon in the red zone along with contested catch situations. He’s more elusive than he’s given credit for with a nasty head fake that often has defensive backs falling over themselves.
63. BYU OT Blake Freeland
AP Photo/George Frey
We covered Freeland early in our NFL draft prospect series this year. Here’s a look at what we said about him:
“Freeland has played both left and right tackle during the past three seasons and allowed just one sack in 956 pass-blocking snaps during that span. Last season, he started all 13 games at left tackle and allowed just five total pressures on the season. He’s a team captain at BYU, and this season, he has picked up right where he left off. He contributed to the upset win over the No. 6 ranked Baylor Bears.”
Playing left tackle all year for BYU in 2022, Freeland allowed just seven total pressures and no sacks through 14 total games. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and 312 pounds and boasts 34-inch arms. It also doesn’t hurt that he plays at Andy Reid’s alma mater.