KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs enter the second day of the 2017 NFL draft with one fewer draft choices following Thursday night’s trade to acquire Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But the talent pool in this year’s draft remains deep, with the possibility of the team acquiring an impact player or two remaining alive and well.
Florida State running back Dalvin Cook stands among the leading NFL draft prospects remaining on the board heading into the second round of the 2017 NFL draft.
“I think there are some really good players on the board to be obtained,” Dorsey said following the first round Thursday night. “We’re going to go back as a personnel staff and meet tomorrow morning and evaluate the situation and see how things unfold.”
Two of the deepest positions in this year’s draft, running back and cornerback, still hold gems in this year’s draft.
“I thought that Dalvin Cook may be gone by now,” Dorsey said of the Florida State running back. “That did kind of surprise me a little bit because I think he is a very talented football player.”
But who remains available when the Chiefs make their next selection at No. 59 remains to be seen. The Chiefs still own eight picks in this year’s draft, which means they still have currency to make a move upward if they choose.
“I think I can do some good with that,” Dorsey said about the remaining picks.
In addition to Cook, big-name running backs remaining on the board include Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara, often projected as a first-round pick with Cook. Others available include Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine and Texas back D’Onta Foreman.
Also in the mix is Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon. The 20-year-old made news last week with word he reached a settlement with a woman who filed suit against Mixon for striking her in 2014. The incident was caught on video, which lead to charges of a misdemeanor against Mixon. The chargers was dropped as part of a plea deal that included community service and counseling.
Top cornerback candidates remain include Washington’s Kevin King, a former teammate of Chiefs corner Marcus Peters. When Peters was dismissed from the Huskies in for disciplinary reasons, King move to cornerback and emerged as one of the best in the nation by his senior season.
Other notable corners include Florida’s Quincy Wilson, Michigan’s Jourdan Lewis and Colorado’s Chidobe Awuzie.
Inside linebacker, which remains a position of need for the Chiefs, offers several intriguing candidates remaining, including Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham and Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan.
The best remaining pass rusher in the draft may be a local product. Kansas State’s Jordan Willis appears a likely early second round pick. The Chiefs have also shown interest in fellow K-state linebacker Elijah Lee.
———-
Matt Derrick is the lead beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
———-
