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Chiefs take Miss St DT Chris Jones in second round of draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Kansas City Chiefs chose versatile defensive tackle Chris Jones from Mississippi State with the sixth pick in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night, then sent their original second-round pick to Tampa Bay for two additional selections.

The Chiefs traded their first-round choice to San Francisco on Thursday night for a package that included the No. 37 overall pick, plus selections in the fourth and sixth rounds. The Buccaneers trade got them choices in the third and fourth rounds.

As for Jones, the Chiefs did not invite him for a visit, making his selection a surprise.

"I didn't think there was a chance I'd ever go to the Chiefs," he said. "It was one of the last teams on my mind. But right now I'm very excited. A lot of mixed emotions going through my mind."

The 6-foot-6, 308-pound Jones made his mark as a run-stuffing tackle for the Bulldogs, but he's also athletic enough to help at defensive end. He started all 13 games last season, making 44 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks, which led him to declare for the draft with a year of eligibility remaining.

Kansas City had been eyeing help along the defensive line, but chose to move out of the first round - and miss on tackles Robert Nkemdiche and Vernon Butler - with the hope Jones would still be around. He should provide depth after the retirement of veteran Mike DeVito and with Allen Bailey's injury history.

Jones also gives Kansas City some bargaining leverage with two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dontari Poe, a former first-round pick, whose contract expires after this season.

The Chiefs also had the No. 59 overall choice, but they sent it to Tampa Bay to recoup the third-round pick they lost as part of the penalties for tampering with then-free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.

Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said losing the third-round pick had no bearing on the decision to trade out of the first round, and chairman Clark Hunt insisted Friday night that the organization was always trying to acquire additional selections.

"I think it was a really smart move on (Dorsey's) part," Hunt said. "It was something he mentioned to me earlier in the week. He said the player you could get at the 28th pick was largely similar to the player you could get at the top of the second round."

Hunt believed the Chiefs were positioned well for the remaining rounds, even before trading their second-round pick for two more in later rounds. Now, they have a third-round pick and three in the fourth round, along with two in the fifth round and two more in the sixth.

"Having more picks is always better," Hunt said.

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Mississippi State’s Chris Jones celebrates with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the 37th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press
Mississippi State’s Chris Jones celebrates after being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the 37th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press
Mississippi State’s Chris Jones poses for photos with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, and former NFL player Tony Richardson after being selected by Kansas City Chiefs as 37th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press
Mississippi State’s Chris Jones celebrates after being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the 37th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press
Mississippi State’s Chris Jones celebrates with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the 37th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press
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