Player: Pat Mahomes
Position: Quarterback
College: Texas Tech
Draft Review
Kansas City traded up from the 27th selection in the first round to to the 10th pick in order to select this former Texas Tech quarterback. In the process, the Chiefs yielded their third-round pick on Friday as well as a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. That's a whole lot of capital to spend on someone that likely won't be ready to see the field any time soon.
Mahomes is interesting in that he comes from a college-style spread offense and has some major mechanical issues. But here's a dude that can flat-out toss the rock. All this is a complete antithesis of what the Chiefs currently have in starter Alex Smith.
Some will question Kansas City's decision to yield two valuable picks in a trade-up scenario, but the team needed a quarterback of the future. WIth the right environment around him, Mahomes could provide that.
What the Scouts Say
"Mahomes is a big, confident quarterback who brings a variety of physical tools to the party, but he's developed some bad habits and doesn't have a very repeatable process as a passer.
Mahomes' ability to improvise and extend plays can lead to big plays for his offense, but he will have to prove he can operate with better anticipation and be willing to take what the defense gives him in order to win from the pocket. Mahomes will be a work in progress, but he's a high ceiling, low floor prospect."
NFL Media
Again, there's very little reason to believe that Mahomes will see the field in 2017. Despite looking to the future in the draft, here's a team that still in contention in the AFC West. Heck, Kansas City won the division last year. It will ride Alex Smith out for at least the next year.
Depth Chart Competition
There really isn't any competition here. Smith will be the Chiefs' starting quarterback in 2017. And barring an injury to the veteran, Mahomes likely won't see the field at all. For the Chiefs, this is about building for the future. Mahomes is two years away from being a starter-caliber quarterback in the NFL.
The positive news here is that the former Red Raider has a tremendous cast to learn from. Smith has been a great veteran leader, and head coach Andy Reid knows how to groom quarterbacks. Mahomes himself couldn't have found a better situation.
Fantasy Outlook
As with pretty much every quarterback selected in this year's draft, Mahomes provides very little from a re-draft perspective. Don't look for him to be draftable in those fantasy formats. And unless Smith gets injured, the waiver wire isn't a real option.
It's all about dyno leagues in this one. Mahomes has the talent to be a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. He's working with a coach in Andy Reid that has maximized his quarterback's talents in the past. That likely won't change here.
The Chiefs will have to continue building up a strong foundation on offense, but Mahomes has a tremendous pass-catching tight end in Travis Kielce. That's great news for pretty much any young quarterback. Mahomes value in dyno formats is likely second among rookie quarterbacks, only behind Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans.