2017 NFL Draft grades: Chiefs earn middling marks for Patrick Mahomes choice
By Matt Conner
The early draft grades are in for the first round and the Kansas City Chiefs are getting knocked for their pick for Patrick Mahomes.
We all know it’s too early to grade a draft even a year or two after the players were chosen, so it’s a complete waste of time and effort to grade selections in the minutes immediately after their name has been called. But let’s be clear: we’re all interested anyway. So we took a quick spin around the NFL media world to find out what analysts thought of the Kansas City Chiefs’ move to trade up with the Buffalo Bills and land quarterback Patrick Mahomes of Texas Tech. In short, the early feedback isn’t that great.
FanSided
"Kansas City gave up a lot for a guy who may not play for another two seasons, but they were not going to get even close to a Super Bowl with Smith as their starting qurterback."
Grade: B
Sports Illustrated
"How ‘bout that? As rumor had it all day long, the Chiefs swung for the fences, moving up a whopping 17 spots in Round 1 at the cost of picks 27, 91 and a 2018 first-rounder. But with Cleveland and Arizona lurking at picks 12 and 13, respectively, Kansas City had little choice if it wanted to guarantee itself Mahomes. The gunslinger from Texas Tech lands in a perfect situation, with a QB-friendly coach in Andy Reid, a veteran in Alex Smith to hold down the fort and an opportunity to take over the starting job soon. The rub: The Chiefs paid a huge price for a developmental quarterback, choosing Mahomes over Deshaun Watson. This is the type of move that can make or break a front office."
Grade: B+
CBS Sports
"I like the player, who I think is the best QB in this draft, but they gave up a bunch. He better be."
Grade: B+
Bleacher Report
"My issue is that the Chiefs have been in playoff also-ran mode for years. They could have traded up and upgraded their defense to get over the top in 2017. Reid’s Eagles tended to get stuck in 10- 11-win ruts. They could swap out quarterbacks and remain in the same rut, because they still have too many needs in other areas."
Grade: C
Walter Football
"This is a very tricky grade. I like Pat Mahomes. He’s the only quarterback in this class I would’ve chosen in the first round. He can make all the throws, so he’s basically the opposite of Alex Smith. I think he has to sit a year, but he can do that behind Alex Smith. So, I like that aspect of this selection. However, the Chiefs gave up a lot. A 2018 first-round selection is too costly. I know the Chiefs are getting a franchise quarterback in Mahomes, but there were going to be great quarterbacks available next year as well. I also don’t think the Chiefs had to jump the Cardinals to take Mahomes. Arizona, I was told, was not going to select him at No. 13."
Grade: C+
SB Nation
"The Chiefs have painfully avoided drafting quarterbacks forever and — surprise, surprise — they haven’t had strong quarterback play. Mahomes will have time to develop behind Alex Smith in 2017 and likely start in 2018, and a third-round pick plus a first-rounder in 2018 really isn’t much to secure him. Chiefs fans should be happy."
Grade: A-
The Ringer
"Andy Reid has a project on his hands, and it will take some time for Mahomes to acclimate and adapt to Reid’s West Coast offense, but the former Red Raider is going to a team with plenty of playmakers, including Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. It’s a high-risk, high-reward move for the Chiefs, who gave up this year’s 27th pick, another third-rounder this year, and a first-rounder next year to move up to this spot."
Grade: Fit, B; Value, C