Since the arrival of Andy Reid and John Dorsey, the Kansas City Chiefs have pushed the philosophy of building through the draft and signing undrafted free agents.
After their third year together the Chiefs have a combined 32-18 record including the playoffs and are enjoying success from the top to the bottom of their roster. A rookie of the year in Marcus Peters and undrafted role players like Charcandrick West and Albert Wilson show that the philosophy is working.
For this piece I want to look solely at the draft. We’ll see just what the Chiefs have done since Reid and Dorsey took over and what that could mean for continued success in 2016.
Starting with the first year in 2013, the Chiefs held the number one overall pick along with seven others despite losing a second round pick to San Francisco for Alex Smith.
- Eric Fisher- This pick is looked at by many as a mistake. Fisher has made strides over the years but he should have been a third round pick at best.
- Traded to San Francisco
- Travis Kelce and Knile Davis- Kelce ended up being a true steal in this draft and had he not been injured in the preseason, he could have possibly been in the running for offensive rookie of the year. Three years later and no one would be second guessing if the Chiefs had taken him number one overall. Davis has been up and down since joining the Chiefs as a running back but has showed great talent as a kick return man.
- Nico Johnson- Johnson never did pan out for the Chiefs as he couldn’t get on the field ahead of Derrick Johnson and other middle linebackers for the Chiefs. He is currently on the New York Giants roster.
- Sanders Commings- This one hurts for Chiefs fans as Commings showed real promise out of Georgia. Injuries kept delaying his true potential however, and he was released shortly before the 2015 season.
- Eric Kush and Braden Wilson- Kush could never climb the depth chart in Kansas City and was waived after the Chiefs found a new starter at center in 2015. Braden Wilson was a fullback who never made it out of training camp.
- Mike Catapano- Catapano was a fan favorite in Kansas City and played well during his first season. His 2014 campaign was cut very short however with an illness and was waived by the Chiefs prior to the 2015 opener.
After an 11-5 season and a heartbreaking playoff loss to the Colts, the Chiefs knew they needed some more speed on their roster and speed is what they went after.
- Dee Ford- Ford is expected to be groomed as Tamba Hali’s replacement opposite Justin Houston. While he has had some good moments, Ford has yet to find consistency on the field, especially in the run game.
- Traded to San Francisco
- Philip Gaines- Gaines had a promising rookie season after working his way on the field. His speed allows him to play the slot efficiently and had it not been for a torn ACL in 2015, the Chiefs may have put together the best secondary in the league.
- De’Anthony Thomas- Thomas has helped the Chiefs perfect the jet sweep from any offensive formation but his small frame can lead to a rash of injuries should he take too much of a beating.
- Aaron Murray- Murray has the skills to be a solid NFL quarterback but he lacks the arm strength needed to impress his coaches. Murray may find himself just behind Alex Smith this next season should the Chiefs choose to not re-sign Chase Daniel.
- Zach Fulton- Arguably the steal of the 6th round, Fulton has been a solid replacement along the interior of the offensive line. His game has had a lot of ups and downs so the future of him as a starter is often in question.
- Laurent Duvernay-Tardif- LDT really stepped up towards the end of 2015 with stellar play along the line. While a good size, he struggles at times to get his feet in the right place for pass blocking.
While 2014 may have been a disappointment for the Chiefs the rookie class was able to make a major contribution and with all of them still on the roster it must be graded positively for the Chiefs. 2015 offered more picks and prepared Chiefs fans for an even better season.
Next: Then the following year...
More Articles About Chiefs Draft History: