Kansas City Chiefs trade value in the 2018 NFL Draft

How much trade value do the Kansas City Chiefs have in the 2018 NFL Draft? Do they have enough to move all the way to the first round?

The 2018 NFL Draft is going to be a very, very different affair from years past for the Kansas City Chiefs.

In a given year, every single team will have their very own pick in every round for a total of 7 guaranteed selections with which to stockpile the best young talent they can. On top of that, teams can add compensatory picks as they lose valuable free agents, giving them additional picks at the end of rounds 3-7. Even just last year, the Chiefs had a total of 10 selections, allowing then-GM John Dorsey to wheel-and-deal those 10 picks into 6 actual players.

Normally general managers like Dorsey appreciate having more picks in their arsenal, since they become valuable assets with which to move up and down the draft board. It’s not that each pick is itself what the GM wants, but rather it’s about flexibility during the three-day event to be able to make the requisite moves to get the players you need/want.

More from Arrowhead Addict

That’s what makes this year’s NFL Draft, Brett Veach’s first as the Chiefs GM, so different. He’s lost his most significant draft asset before he even landed the job via the trade up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Veach himself dealt draft pick like candy in the preseason for Reggie Ragland (good!) and Cam Erving (er, not so good).

Fortunately Veach recouped at least a third round pick in the Alex Smith trade, but even critics there were likely right that he could have had a much higher pick from another team if he were willing to forgo the Kendall Fuller part. [Ed. note: Fuller and third were a great haul.]

Right now, as the draft order stands, the Kansas City Chiefs have the following picks available to them:

2nd round (No. 54 overall)
3rd round (No. 78 overall via WAS)
3rd round (No. 86 overall)
4th round (No. 118 overall)
6th round (No. 182 overall)

Looking at the NFL Draft trade value chart often cited this time of year, it’s clear the Chiefs have very limited maneuverability around the NFL Draft, especially if they want a first day selection. Let’s create a mock scenario:

The Chiefs have a serious need at both cornerback (yes, even still) as well as returner. Iowa prospect Josh Jackson is one of the highest rated cornerbacks in the entire draft class and he’s also expected to step into a return role at the pro level. Mel Kiper Jr. has Jackson at No. 23 overall in his latest mock.

In order for the Chiefs to move up to this spot, they would have to trade every single one of their Day 2 picks (their second and both third round selections) in order to reach close enough value (and even then, the Chiefs are 40 points short). Perhaps they could throw in their fourth round, too, and the Rams could add a 5th or 6th to balance it out.

Basically, even with compensatory picks coming (since they’ve not yet been announced), the Chiefs are simply not at all likely to make any moves to catapult them into any conversation on Day 1. This means Chiefs fans might as well sit back, relax and enjoy the process without projecting any personal hopes onto the first round. The cost to move up is cost prohibitive for a team that could use an injection of useful young players at a few key positions.

Home/Kansas City Chiefs Draft