The NFL Draft is near.

The Chiefs hold nine selections over the draft’s three days, with two picks in the first round. It’s the team’s best draft position in years — thanks to a poor finish to last season.

A successful draft would help the Chiefs avoid this kind of draft position in the future.

“You don’t want to be here, but we’ve gotten past that phase, and we’re in it,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “There’s a good number of picks we’ve got here.”

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Chiefs insider Pete Sweeney and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian offer their final pre-draft thoughts, starting with what the Chiefs should do with their first-round picks.

Edge rusher with their first selection? Wide receiver? Cornerback? A tackle for the offensive line? We agree on the positions of need, but not necessarily the players.

It will be a fascinating draft for the Chiefs as they begin the quest to reestablish the dominance they’ve experienced throughout much of the Reid era.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

1:20  — Why we love draft week

17:18  — Who the Chief’s may take in the first round? 

29:12  — The local talent you should keep an eye on during the draft

31:42 - What else is on Blair’s radar? 

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.