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NFL Draft 2017: Top target for each team

By John Buhler

Oct 29, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) looks to throw in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) looks to throw in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 5, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Marcus Davis (80) is tackled by by Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver Marcus Davis (80) is tackled by by Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports /

Kansas City Chiefs: Zach Cunningham

The Kansas City Chiefs should return one of the deepest rosters in the NFL for 2017. If they get the right series of matches, this is a team that can play in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. However, they do have one major issue to address on defense: inside linebacker.

Inside linebacker is a fickle position for teams to fill through recent NFL drafts. With the game becoming increasingly pass-centric, fewer middle linebackers will have roles in the NFL as run-first defenders. However, one of the few inside linebacking prospects worthy of a high pick is Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham.

Kansas City should use its No. 27 pick to draft the Vanderbilt standout. Anybody who watch the Commodores play this past fall know that Cunningham is the real deal. Frankly, he is the best NFL prospect to come out of Vanderbilt since quarterback Jay Cutler over a decade ago.

In three seasons with Vanderbilt, Cunningham had 256 tackles, 36.0 of them went for a loss of yardage. He had seven fumble recoveries, six forced fumbles, six passes defended and 6.0 quarterback sacks in his college career in Nashville.

Kansas City has to get one of the better inside linebackers in the draft when it can. If that requires trading up a few spots to land Cunningham, so be it. The guy is a football player that will be productive the moment he sets foot on an NFL field.

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