The Kansas City Chiefs could opt to make an addition at linebacker at some point in the 2023 NFL draft.
Looking at the room in its current iteration, it’s hard to see much room for an early addition in Kansas City. It’s already going to be tough to find the snaps to go around for Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Willie Gay Jr., and Leo Chenal. A new addition to the room would only make that more difficult.
That said, an addition could be more about the future than it could the 2023 NFL season. Both Gay and Tranquill will be free agents in the 2023 NFL offseason, so they’ll need some reinforcements at the position not too far down the line. It might make more sense to take a developmental prospect later in the draft given those circumstances.
Here’s a look at some of the linebackers the Chiefs could consider adding in each round of the 2023 NFL draft:
Round 1: None
The Chiefs are loaded at linebacker right now and while there might be some players available in Round 1 (Drew Sanders, Trenton Simpson and Jack Campbell), I have a hard time believing that Brett Veach would see value in selecting one so high.
Round 2: Washington State LB Daiyan Henley
Henley is just a hair under 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, but he looks like he’s built to play the position even though he played wide receiver and safety in the past at Nevada. He transferred to Washington State in 2022, where he played linebacker full-time. He’s still very new to the linebacker position, but as a senior with Washington State, he posted career highs in tackles (102), tackles for loss (12) and sacks (4). He has sideline-to-sideline range and he’s not afraid to put his shoulder down and lower the boom on ball carriers.
Round 3: Tulane LB Dorian Williams
Williams (6-foot-1, 228 pounds) is teetering undersized in the NFL. He has some versatility to his game playing MIKE, WILL and non-traditional overhang roles in the Green Wave defense. The closing speed and nearly 34-inch arms really pop on tape. In 2022, Williams posted 132 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions and seven passes defended at Tulane. He also has over 400 special teams snaps during the course of his career.
Round 4: Auburn LB Owen Pappoe
Pappoe ran a 4.39s 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making him the fastest linebacker in this draft class. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot and 225 pounds, but the athleticism pops off the page with this prospect. Despite his size, he’s been more of a two-down thumper during his career, taking on blockers and shedding them to get after the ball carrier. His speed and athleticism were vastly underutilized at Auburn, but I suspect they will serve him better in the NFL.
Round 5: Vanderbilt LB Anfernee Orji
Orji (6-foot-1 and 230 pounds) was one of the biggest winners of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting the top vertical (38.5 inches) for his position group. He was Vanderbilt’s tackle leader for three consecutive seasons and his 2022 season was one of his most productive yet. He was particularly productive when it came to taking the ball away, notching his first career interception and two forced fumbles.
Round 6: Duke LB Shaka Heyward
Heyward is a really intriguing athlete at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. He ran a 4.53s 40-yard dash during the pre-draft process and that speed shows up on tape. He did a lot for Duke’s defense, playing all three downs and performing well against both the run and the pass. He finished his career with 340 tackles 31.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in 51 games played, earning two All-ACC selections. He performed well at the East-West Shrine Bowl too.
Round 7: Tennessee LB Jeremy Banks
The team brought Banks in for a pre-draft visit, likely due to his off-field issues in the past at Tennessee. A converted running back, Banks is coming off of a down year with the Volunteers, where he posted just 53 total tackles 4 passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 4.5 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-1 and 232 pounds, Banks impressed at the combine with each of his vertical (37.5), broad jump (10-3), short shuttle (4.38s), and 40-yard dash (4.53s) ranking within the top 10 among his position group.
