AA’s Initial Grades For The Chiefs 2016 Draft Class

The 2016 NFL Draft is in the books and the Kansas City Chiefs now have nine new players added to their roster. The reasonable and level headed response to any draft class is to say that there is no way to know how good or bad this draft class is until we see how they perform on the field over a long period of time. However, let’s be real here, even if you know that to be true that’s not what you’re looking for on the Monday following the NFL Draft. You want to know how people think your favorite team did.

We all know immediate draft grades are likely going to be very different than how we view a draft class two or three years from now, but after months of speculation and mock drafts we want some instant feedback on how the draft went. If you’ve cared enough to read about what positions we think the Chiefs should draft and what prospects might be good fits, then there is nothing wrong with finding out what those same people think of the results. That, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what this post is going to do.

This week here at Arrowhead Addict you’ll get all the draft insight you could want from our various talented staff writers, but to kick off this post-draft week I thought I’d give you a little instant reaction. I polled some of the staff here at AA on their grades for each pick and averaged them together with my own grades to give you a general idea of how we here at AA felt about each pick. While you’ll have to wait for each individual writer to give their own insight I’ll share a little of my own thoughts for each pick after I give you the “AA average grade” on that player. Special thanks to Matt Verderame, Laddie Morse, Stacy Smith, and Ben Almquist for contributing grades for this piece.

Before we get into the individual player grades let me give you my general thoughts. I think how you view this draft class will have a lot to do with your mindset entering the draft. If you were looking for the Chiefs to draft as many day one impact players as possible to help them win a Super Bowl this year you may be disappointed. If you were looking for them to draft as many high upside players as possible that could one day develop into impact players then you may be really happy with how the draft went. If you entered the draft wanting them to restock the cornerback position you are probably thrilled. If you wanted them to make strengthening the offensive line the top priority you may have been let down.

I will say that I believe that John Dorsey was smart to make the trades that he did. I believe that the Chiefs were able to pick up extra picks without having to settle for taking a less talented player where they eventually drafted. We have no way of knowing, but I think it’s a strong possibility that both Chris Jones and KeiVarae Russell may have been KC’s picks if they had stayed put in those spots. So to pick up two additional fourth round picks and a sixth round pick without really having to sacrifice anything in terms of who you are taking is a HUGE win. Even if KC may have taken different players with those picks, I don’t think the drop off in talent is enough that it would have been worth not getting Parker Ehinger, Eric Murray and DJ White (the three players taken with the additional picks gained through the trades). So before we have even gotten to the individual players taken I think Dorsey did a great job of maneuvering the Chiefs during the draft. When you factor in that KC was drafting at the back end of each round and lost their third round pick it really is impressive that they came away with the picks that they did.

Now onto the picks themselves…..

Next: Find out the grade for Chris Jones