With the full knowledge of the 2021 NFL draft in tow, things would have played out much differently.
At least that’s the case in PFF’s recent 2021 NFL redraft scenario. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after trading it away to acquire Orlando Brown Jr. from the Baltimore Ravens. The team still masterfully managed to grab some key pieces during the course of the draft — pieces that would now be selected much higher than they were.
PFF’s Sam Monson believes that a trio of Chiefs players taken would now have landed in the first round. Those three players were selected by Kansas City between the second round and the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Here is a look at each of those three players and the new teams they end up with in PFF’s redraft scenario:
Pick No. 14: NEW YORK JETS (VIA SEA) – C CREED HUMPHREY
AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
The Jets originally selected Alijah Vera-Tucker with this pick. Humphrey was the top-performing interior offensive lineman to come out of the 2021 NFL draft. He played at an All-Pro level as a rookie, grading out as PFF’s top-graded center. He would be a mainstay on any offensive line in the league. Vera-Tucker on the other hand, he goes three picks later to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The Jets would be happy enough with the rookie season they got from Vera-Tucker, but Humphrey played at an All-Pro level for the Chiefs in his first season. He allowed 10 pressures in 17 games and had a run-blocking grade of 92.5. The Jets would need a reshuffle along the offensive line but may well be better off for it long-term.” – PFF’s Sam Monson
Humphrey was selected by the Chiefs at Pick No. 63 overall in the second round of the draft.
Pick No. 16: ARIZONA CARDINALS – OG TREY SMITH
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Cardinals originally selected Zaven Collins with this pick, but they pivot to the offensive side of the ball, grabbing a 17-game starter in Smith. Had NFL teams known what they now know about his performance and health, Smith would have been a surefire first-round pick, even as an interior offensive lineman. It might not be long before he’s recognized as the best right guard in the league.
“Collins may well end up a fine player, but the Cardinals just didn’t play him much as a rookie, leaving him behind Jordan Hicks. Collins played just 220 snaps all season, and Arizona’s offensive line was…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Chiefs Wire…