Ranking the five best value picks in the 2020 NFL Draft

2. Lucas Niang, OL, Kansas City Chiefs

Round 3, Pick 96

For many, I feel like Lucas Niang is going to be the most surprising inclusion to this list. Niang was never considered much of a threat to go in the first round and did not get much hype when the Kansas City Chiefs took him late in the third round. That being said, that selection of Niang was one of the best value picks in this entire draft and it is one that will help this team a ton going forward.

Niang played most of the 2019 season with a torn labrum in his hip and eventually shut his season down because of the injury. His play did slip a bit in 2019, but that hip injury had to do something about that. I prefer to look at to the 2018 tape on Niang and there, he is an absolute beast of an offensive tackle who clearly has a bright future at the next level.

Niang has a tremendous combination of size, length, power and athleticism at the offensive tackle position. He moves his feet well at all times, knows how to use his long arms in pass protection and can absolutely dominate at the point of attack. Niang is a premier pass protector who also shows impressive ability as a run blocker.

While the Chiefs do not have the most glaring need at offensive tackle at the moment, Niang was simply too talented of a player for them to ignore. Whether Niang kicks inside to guard early in his career or the Chiefs sit him for all of 2020 to heal the hip injury, I expect him to have a long and successful career in Kansas City.

By 2021, expect Niang to take over as the blindside protector for Patrick Mahomes at the left tackle position. I also believe that he will be an immediate upgrade over Eric Fisher. Not bad for a late third-round selection. The only question here is health. If Niang is healthy and can remain that way, this is an absolute home run selection.