3 Wide Receivers the Chiefs Should Draft Instead of Trading for Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Deebo Samuel has reportedly requested a trade. The Kansas City Chiefs would theoretically be a destination for any disgruntled wide receiver, but recent reports have indicated that Patrick Mahomes' team is not in the Deebo Sweepstakes.

It may not be exciting, but that stance makes a lot sense. The Chiefs were either unwilling or unable to meet Tyreek Hill's massive contract demands; they opted to trade him in exchange for draft capital and financial flexibility. Why would Kansas City surrender those newly-acquired picks just to put itself in the same financial logjam with a different star receiver?

Assuming Kansas City doesn't trade for a WR, here are three wideouts the Chiefs should target in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Chiefs NFL Draft

3. Christian Watson, North Dakota State

Christian Watson might not be the instant-impact WR a contender like KC is looking for, but you can't ignore his ceiling. There just aren't many 6-foot-4 WRs who can run a 4.36 second 40-yard dash or nail a 38.5-inch vertical jump. He's not a very polished route-runner (he'd be a top-10 lock if he were), so he's likely to come off the board in the late first or early-second round. That puts him right in the Chiefs' range at No. 29 or No. 30, and his rare size-speed combo could make him an excellent Tyreek Hill replacement.

2. George Pickens, Georgia Bulldogs

George Pickens is one the buzziest receivers in the pre-draft process right now. He did next to nothing last year, appearing in four games and catching 5 passes for 107 yards. But he's one of the few true X wide receivers available in this class, as his size and physicality makes him a real handful against man coverage. The issue here is his injury history, as Pickens missed most of the 2021-22 season after tearing his ACL in late March. Still, getting a first-round WR talent at No. 50 would be hard to resist. And snagging him at No. 29 or No. 30 wouldn't be that much of a reach, either.

1. Treylon Burks, Arkansas Razorbacks

Of the three, Treylon Burks is the least likely to be on the board for Kansas City. But he's likely coming off the board somewhere in the 20's, so falling to No. 29 wouldn't be that crazy. And man, would Burks be fun in this offense. He's probably the most dynamic WR in this class with the ball in his hands, racking up 1,216 yards from scrimmage with 12 total TDs on 80 touches last year. Arkansas got this guy the ball in a myriad of ways – handoffs, screens, and in the return game. No one gets playmakers in space better than Andy Reid and the Chiefs, and Burks could be a dominant force from day one if he finds his way to Kansas City.