NFL Teams Biggest Needs by Draft Order
NFL writer Logan Lepiscopo continues to bring a series that will contain every NFL team’s biggest need heading into the NFL draft. Each article will consist of two teams going in draft order. This article will be the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. If a team has multiple first-round picks the team that originally owned that pick will be covered, to avoid repetitiveness and ensure all 32 teams have been written about. Logan Lepiscopo will also give his “perfect/ideal” draft for each and every NFL team.
San Francisco 49ers: Interior Offensive Line
The recent rumors are that Deebo Samuel is on the trading block for the right price. Samuel is also asking for 25 million a year, which being a running back/wide receiver for the team I think is well deserved. But outside of the current Deebo Samuel situation the 49ers need to add some support to the interior offensive line. The 49ers currently have two players that are naturally tackles at the guard position, one of which (McKivitz) has started just four games in their two-year career. Brunskill at guard can do well as he has played and started all 33 games the past two regular seasons. The next need for the 49ers is cornerback, the 49ers do not have a pick until the second round but there should still be some significant value at the position at the 61st overall pick. Also not to mention that Emmanuel Mosley, Dontae Johnson, and Darqueze Denard all set to be free agents following the 2022 season. That still leaves Charvarius Ward and Ambry Thomas at corner, but the team could use a solid CB3-4 going into the future. The last need I have for the 49ers is wide receiver, though everything regarding Deebo Samuel is rumored right now wide receiver is still a need for the team, Brandon Aiyuk was underwhelming last season and Jauan Jennings cannot suffice as a wide receiver three. The 49ers have to take a wide receiver at some point in this draft, especially considering the depth at the position this year. (Mock Draft done at 12:20PM EST on 4/14/22)
RD-2-Pick 61- CB-Tariq Woolen- UTSA
RD-3-Pick 93- IOL-Luke Fortner- Kentucky
RD-3-Pick 105- WR-Velus Jones Jr.- Tennessee
RD-4-Pick 134- S-JT Woods- Baylor
RD-5-Pick 172- DT-Eric Johnson- Missouri State
RD-6-Pick 187- LB-Mike Rose- Iowa State
RD-6-Pick 220- RB-Keaontay Ingram- USC
RD-6-Pick 221- OT-Austin Deculus- LSU
RD-6-Pick 262- TE-Austin Allen- Nebraska
Top player hitting free agency: Laken Tomlinson (Signed with the Jets)
Cap space: $1.55M
Kansas City Chiefs: Edge Rusher
Now looking at the Chiefs depth chart you would not think that an edge rusher is needed with Chris Jones and Frank Clark being listed as the starters. But Chris Jones is naturally a defensive tackle, and if the Chiefs want Jones at his best, they are going to need to find an edge rusher to fill that role and push Jones back into the interior of the defensive line. The next need I have for the Chiefs is a wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster is a nice addition, but we all need to be real and know that Tyreek Hill leaving is a massive hole no matter what wide receiver is brought in. JuJu also cannot flourish as a wide receiver one in an offense, Marquez Valdes-Scantling was also a nice add but still nothing that will fill that hole left by the Tyreek Hill trade. Also not to mention after this season JuJu, Mecole Hardman, and Josh Gordon will all be free agents. The last of the team’s three biggest needs is the cornerback position. The team lost Charvarius Ward in free agency which leaves L’Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, and Deandre Baker. There needs to be a true cornerback 2-3 brought in for the Chiefs because this defense has lost a lot of key secondary pieces in free agency. (Mock draft done at 12:52PM EST on 4/14/22)
RD-1-Pick 29- WR-George Pickens- Georgia
RD-1-Pick 30- ED-David Ojabo- Michigan
RD-2-Pick 50- DT-Logan Hall- Houston
RD-2-Pick 62- S-Jaquan Brisker- Penn State
RD-3-Pick 94- CB-Jayln Armour-Davis- Alabama
RD-3-Pick 103- LB-Darrian Beavers- Cincinnati
RD-4-Pick 121- S-Tycen Anderson- Toledo
RD-4-Pick 135- WR-Tyquan Thornton- Baylor
RD-7-Pick 233- OT-Nick Zakelj- Fordham
RD-7-Pick 243- CB-Jack Jones- Arizona State
RD-7-Pick 251- ED-Jeremiah Moon- Florida
RD-7-Pick 259- RB-Kennedy Brooks- Oklahoma
Top player hitting free agency: Orlando Brown Jr. (Received franchise tag)
Cap space: $18.16M