Chiefs address O-line depth, pick Niang in 3rd round

The Kansas City Chiefs selected offensive tackle Lucas Niang out of TCU in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, 96th overall.

Niang will provide depth to one of the NFL's most consistent units. Kansas City is slated to return all five core starters on the offensive line, though it lost key reserves Cameron Erving and Stefen Wisniewski.

Niang was projected as a likely second-round pick, but slid down the board until the Chiefs scooped him up near the end of the third round.

Prospect Profile

School: TCU
Height: 6-6
Weight: 315 lbs

Positives

• Great length and athleticism
• Good foot speed and movement in all areas
• Solid hand placement and strength to lock out
• Lateral agility to mirror in pass protection
• Processing to pass off stunts and pick up blitzes
• Power to create push as drive-blocker in run game
• Footwork to reach and steer in zone run game
• Good awareness in space

Negatives

• Top-heavy build with slender lower half
• Needs to improve footwork in pass protection
• Wastes movement out of stance with false step
• Tendency to overextend and lose leverage
• Coming off season-ending hip injury

Bottom line

Niang isn't getting as much attention as he should be as one of the more well-rounded tackle prospects in the class. The need for improved footwork and avoiding false steps out of his stance are the only things that stand out as concerns in his game. And considering how fluid he looks in all other areas - including when he could fire into a vertical kick slide before a hip injury limited him to a less efficient backpedal in 2019 - those areas may actually be less of a project than many expect. Niang's an intelligent lineman whose combination of power and movement ability will make him a fit in any blocking scheme.