The Stars seven-round Chiefs NFL draft projection, version 1.0

Its that time of year again, folks! The NFL draft is right around the corner, and even though the Chiefs dont have a first-round pick (at least at the moment), that doesnt mean theres not plenty to be gleaned from this exercise. So here it is, the first of three seven-round mocks Ill be doing from here until the draft, which starts on April 26.

The following is my first run at projecting the Chiefs' picks.

(A quick disclaimer: This mock draft was done with the use of the draft generator at Fanspeak.com. And a quick reminder " the Chiefs don't have a first-round pick because of the trade for Patrick Mahomes last April.)

SECOND ROUND

TE Mike Gesicki, Penn State (54th overall): I know, I know. But Terez, what about the defense, youre probably yelling at home. Trust me, as the man who had to watch this team all of last year, Im well in tune with how badly the defense needs reinforcements across the board. And I do think that if any of the Chiefs top defense targets remain on the board, general manager Brett Veach will not hesitate to either trade up to snag a top-rated cornerback or pass rusher, or simply use this pick on the defensive side of the ball. Those are scenarios Ill cover in mocks two and three.

So for now, lets consider what will happen if Veach cant trade up, and all their second-round worthy targets at pass rusher and defensive back are off the board. Veach is not going to reach. Instead, hell believe in his evaluation and take the best player available. So in this instance, Im taking Mike Gesicki, the tight end from Penn State.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article208933339.html#storylink=cpy