Every Chiefs’ fan has a list of their personal favorite draft picks. Jordan Mannix created a formula to create definitive rankings to settle the matter.
You see lists all the time that subjectively evaluate a team’s best moments such as draft picks, players, seasons, etc. It’s fun to sit around the bar with your friends and rattle off the list of your favorite players or your team’s biggest busts just to pass the time until football season starts again. That’s where we’re at right now, waiting for football season to start.
In the meantime, can we actually accurately evaluate these lists? It turns out, it’s pretty easy. I’ll begin with the NFL Draft, since we just passed the 2019 NFL Draft a few weeks ago. I’ll structure a simple way to evaluate who are the top 10 best draft picks in Kansas City Chiefs‘ history.
The formula will be comprised of seven variables. Here is each variable with a brief description. First, each player receives a score for their corresponding pick value. This score is equal to the round in which they were drafted. The first round equals one point, the second round equals two points, and so on. This highlights the increased value of drafting a long-time star in later rounds.
Second, each player receives a score for position value. There are 14 position values, with quarterback being the most valuable and receiving a score of 14. These values are based off average market salaries for each position which is arguably the best measurement for position value. Obviously, these have changed over time. Even so, I will be using the most recent, and trustworthy market values I could find.
As such, QBs are the highest paid on average and receive the highest point total. Wide receivers are the second highest paid on average and receive the second highest point total, and so on. The rest of the chart is posted below:
Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, each player receives 10 points per Pro Bowl selection, 25 points per First Team All Pro selection, 30 points per MVP award, and 30 points for ROY, DPOY, or OPOY. Finally, each player receives one point per game started for the Chiefs.
All these factors will total the player’s career impact with the Chiefs. To normalize these numbers, since each player has had varying tenures with the team, they will then be divided by the number of years a given player played for the Chiefs. This will give us our final annual impact score to rank each player by. For reference, the variables and formula are listed in the following image:
It’s likely there are a number of Chiefs’ fans with differing viewpoints of what makes a player impactful. These are simply seven, arbitrarily chosen variables that I feel can help us objectively evaluate who are the best draft picks in Chiefs’ history.
Further, the following 12 players were curated from a list that originally comprised 35 names from drafts dating back to 1961. It’s possible I left someone out that is a personal favorite of yours. For that, I apologize, but I’m confident this is an extremely strong list of candidates for the Chiefs’ top draft picks of all time.
12. Jamaal Charles
The Chiefs selected running back Jamaal Charles out of Texas in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Believe it or not, he was the ninth running back selected in that year’s draft. Now, there were a handful of quality backs but it’s hard to say any of them were more dynamic than Charles. What’s even more shocking, relative to today, is that five running backs went in the first round.
Charles was a smaller back who had a prolific career in Austin running the football. In his final season with the Longhorns, Charles rushed for 1,619 yards and 18 touchdowns. For his college career, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Since 1996, Charles is 20th in rushing yards in the Big 12 and 24th in total touchdowns.
After being drafted by the Chiefs, Charles didn’t take long to become a household name. In only his third season he had 1,935 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. He was voted to his first Pro Bowl and was a First Team All Pro selection.
Unfortunate injuries derailed Charles in three of his nine seasons with the team, but he still finished with an impressive resume. In total, he had 9,717 yards from scrimmage 63 total touchdowns. He was also voted to the NFL’s Top 100 players list five out of six years from 2011 to 2016, making it as high as eighth overall after the 2014 season.
Charles checks in at number 12 on the list of top draft picks, according to the variables. He was an absolutely transcendent runner and made other great athletes look mediocre on a regular basis.
His main hurdle, which plagued him his whole career, was multiple devastating injuries. He was still incredible, and it’s likely if he had not had the injury bug he would be extremely high on this list. He ended his time with the Chiefs as the franchise’s all time leading rusher and an all time fan favorite in the hearts of Chiefs’ fans.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 18
11. Justin Houston
The Chiefs got a steal in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft when they selected DE/OLB Justin Houston out of Georgia. Houston received a grade of 8.18 from the 2011 NFL Combine, which implied he had a chance to be a perennial All Pro in the NFL. Simply put, he was a stud in college.
The only reason that Houston ended up falling to the Chiefs was because of off the field issues. Surprisingly, given how clean Houston has stayed during his time in the league, he failed a drug test during the combine. Given that players know they will be tested beforehand, this likely took him off several teams’ draft boards. Hence, the Chiefs got lucky and Houston fell to them.
Houston was an absolute force during his time in with the Chiefs. In his eight years with the team he was invited to four Pro Bowls and given one First Team All Pro nod. Had it not been for injuries, he would likely have a couple more Pro Bowls and All Pro selections. He was also voted to the NFL Top 100 players five straight years from 2013 to 2017, making it has high as 26th overall after the 2016 season.
What Chiefs’ fans will likely remember most from Houston’s time with the team is his absolutely dominant 2014 campaign. During that year, Houston broke the Chiefs’ franchise sack record previously held by Derrick Thomas with 22 sacks, and came within a half sack of breaking Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22.5 sacks. It was an extraordinary statistical year and a fun one for fans to watch. He currently checks in at No. 4 all time in sacks in franchise history.
Houston checks in at number 11 on this list of top draft picks. He made a huge impact in virtually every single game he played for the Chiefs from his second year on. Unfortunately for Houston and Chiefs’ fans, and similar to Charles, his career with the team was plagued with injury. During his eight years with the team he only played a full season three times. Even still, he’ll be remembered fondly by Chiefs fans and is in the conversation for top 10 draft picks of all time.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 22
10. Eric Berry
The Chiefs selected safety Eric Berry out of Tennessee with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Berry was an explosive athlete in the secondary for the Volunteers and averaged nearly 82 tackles per season, 5 interceptions, and one touchdown. He would quickly become a fantastic leader for a team and a franchise that desperately needed one.
Berry was a special player for the Chiefs, and that’s probably putting it mildly. He was an early star, making the Pro Bowl his rookie year after recording 87 combined tackles, four interceptions, and two sacks. In his nine years with the team, he would be selected to five Pro Bowls and voted to three First Team All Pro teams. He was also voted to the 2010 NFL All Rookie Team, and was voted to the NFL’s Top 100 players’ list four times making it as high as 13th overall in 2017.
Berry had a sparkling career with the Chiefs, which is partly why it was so difficult for fans to see him released earlier this offseason. His most memorable stretch with the team was during the 2014 and 2015 season, where he was diagnosed with and proceeded to beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Following his battle with cancer, he had an incredible 2015 season. He had 61 combined tackles, two interceptions and 10 passes defensed. He was voted First Team All Pro and was voted the 2015 NFL AP and PFWA Comeback Player of the year. It was a miracle season for Berry, and it was a special event for the fans to watch.
Berry checks in at number 10 on this list of draft picks. He met and likely surpassed the expectations that teams have when they draft a player with the fifth overall pick. His value was more than just statistical. He was an incredible leader on and off the field and was a national inspiration for his hardwork in the midst of unimaginable challenges.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 24
9. Neil Smith
The Chiefs selected defensive end Neil Smith from the Nebraska Cornhuskers with the second overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft. Smith was dominant while at Nebraska playing under legendary coach Tom Osborne. As a senior he was fourth in the Big 8 with 7.5 sacks, was named a Second Team All American, and was the 1988 Fiesta Bowl Defensive Player of the Game.
The NFL level did nothing to slow Smith down. In nine seasons with the Chiefs, Smith averaged 59 tackles and nearly 10 sacks per season. His best season, 1993, he set a career high and led the NFL with 15 sacks. He eventually developed a trademark sack celebration, swinging an imaginary bat, which he publicly alleged was in tribute to Kansas City icon and Royal’s Hall of famer George Brett. Currently, he only trails Chiefs’ legend Derrick Thomas and fan favorite Tamba Hali in total sacks in team history at 85.5 total.
Adding to his list of career accomplishments, Smith was voted into six Pro Bowls in seven years from 1991 to 1997, was named to the list of 1993 First Team All Pros, was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Second Team All 1990s and was eventually inducted into the Chiefs’ Hall of fame in 1996.
Much to the chagrin of Chiefs fans, Smith’s career highlights also includes two Super Bowl wins with our hated division rival, the Denver Broncos, in Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII.
Smith checks in at number nine on this list of top draft picks. He was impactful from day one and one of the league’s best defenders for nearly a decade.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 25.1
8. Junious “Buck” Buchanan
The Chiefs selected defensive tackle and NAIA All American Junious “Buck” Buchanan out of Grambling State with the first overall pick in the 1963 AFL Draft. This pick made history, as Buchanan was the first African-American to be chosen number one overall in a professional football draft. The New York Giants also selected Buchanan with the 265th pick in the 1963 NFL Draft. Ultimately, he would sign and play with the Chiefs and he would go on to have a storied Hall of Fame career.
Some older Chiefs’ fans may vividly remember Buchanan’s storied career, so this refresher is mostly for the younger fans. Buchanan was a physical freak, for the time. At 6’7″ and 270 pounds he ran a 4.90 second 40 yard dash and ran a blistering 10.2 second 100-meter dash while at Grambling State.
For the Chiefs, Buchanan played 13 years from 1963-1975. He was a part of one of the greatest stretches in Chiefs’ history which included winning two AFL Championships in 1966 and 1969, playing in Super Bowl I and winning Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 23-7.
Individually, Buchanan was an absolute force. In 13 years he played in 182 games, was voted to six straight AFL All Star games followed by two straight Pro Bowls, and was selected to the rough equivalents of the modern day First Team All Pro four straight times from 1966-1969.
He’s also a member of the AFL Hall of Fame Second Team All-1960s and the Pro-Football Reference First Team All-1960s teams. He’s been inducted into the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame in 1981, the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 1990, the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 1996, and was named to Sporting News list of 100 Greatest Football Players in 1999.
Buchanan checks in at number eight on this list of top draft picks. He is one of the greatest Chiefs’ defenders of all time, anchoring the defensive line during arguably the greatest stretch in the team’s history.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 25.5
7. Travis Kelce
Travis Kelce is one of my favorite current Chiefs. Not only is he one of the most dynamic players at the tight end position in the last several years, he has a hilarious personality that makes him even more fun to watch.
The Chiefs got a major bargain when they drafted Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. It’s possible that Kelce would have gone much higher in the draft, but he had some brief off the field issues during his time at Cincinnati. Luckily for Chiefs’ Kingdom, Kelce has been a model citizen since he entered the league. Everyone makes mistakes and it looks like Kelce has learned from his.
Kelce missed his rookie year with a knee injury, but following that he has been a game changer. He’s one of the biggest mismatches in the league at his size and speed. From his third year on, he’s been in the conversation for the best tight end in the NFL. All he’s done since is make four straight Pro Bowls and be named First Team All Pro in 2016 and 2018. He’s also been voted by his peers to the NFL Top 100 players’ list from 2016 to 2018, being voted as highly as 24th in 2018.
Speaking of 2018, this past season was Kelce’s best of his career. He very briefly held the NFL record for receiving yards in a season with 1,336 yards. If it weren’t for the fact that George Kittle was basically the only receiving threat in the San Francisco 49ers offense, a situation far from Kelce’s, it’s likely Kelce would have maintained that record. Even so, it was an incredible season to remember.
A former third round draft pick, Kelce checks in at number seven on the Chiefs’ list of top draft picks. He’s been a unique weapon for Andy Reid and company since he entered the league, and with Patrick Mahomes at the helm it’s probable that his best years are in front of him.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 28.3
6. Willie Lanier
The Chiefs selected linebacker Willie Lanier in the second round of the 1967 NFL Draft. Lanier was a two-time All American at then NAIA Division I Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Lanier was actually the second linebacker drafted by the Chiefs that year. It’s possible that had first round pick Jim Lynch not missed the first two weeks of practice for the College All Star Game, he may have started early instead of Lanier. As it turns out, Lynch moved to the outside and Lanier never looked back.
In the NFL, Lanier was the first African-American star at the linebacker position. He became known as “Contact” for his vicious hits and playing style. He was so durable, he only missed one game in his final 10 years. For his entire career, he only missed five.
Even though you wouldn’t expect it from a 6’1” middle linebacker, Lanier was a ballhawk. Every year but his first and last, he had multiple interceptions, grabbing as many as five in 1975. Over a nine year period from 1968 to 1976 Lanier had 27 interceptions total. Those would be incredible numbers even today.
Aside from his great career, likely Lanier’s defining moment in Chiefs’ lore was his impassioned commands to his teammates in the 1969 divisional round playoff game against the New York Jets. Trailing 6-3 in the fourth quarter, the Jets poised to score with first and goal on the Chiefs’ one yard line, Lanier passionately rallied the troops to a heroic goal line stand for the ages. Three incredible plays later the defense would hold the Jets’ offense to a field goal, and the Chiefs’ would win that game en route to the franchise’s only Super Bowl.
Like most on this list, Lanier has a long list of accomplishments. Starting in 1968 Lanier was voted to two straight AFL All Star games followed by six straight Pro Bowls. He was selected to the equivalent of First Team All Pro in 1968, 1971, and 1973. He was the 1972 Walter Payton Man of the year, inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1985, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
The two-time AFL Champion and one-time Super Bowl Champion checks in at number six on this list and remains one of the best draft picks in team history.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 28.8
5. Bobby Bell
Bobby Bell is the lowest drafted player to make this list, which makes his career that much more amazing. The Chiefs selected Bell out of the University of Minnesota in the seventh round of the 1963 AFL Draft.
After coming to Minnesota as a quarterback, which he played in high school to the tune of All State honors in North Carolina, Bell switched to his most notable position of defensive line where he was named a two-time All-American in 1961 and 1962. He was eventually awarded the Outland Trophy in 1962 as the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman and finished third overall in that year’s Heisman voting.
Ironically, the Chiefs would presumably have selected Bell much higher than they did except for the fact that the Minnesota Vikings also selected Bell in the second round of the 1963 NFL Draft. The Chiefs strongly believed Bell would stay in Minnesota, and thus didn’t bother drafting him until the seventh round. To everyone’s amazement, Bell ultimately chose to sign and play in Kansas City.
In Kansas City, Bell was nothing short of spectacular, playing most of his career at outside linebacker. Beginning in his second season in 1964, Bell played in the final six AFL All Star games followed by three straight Pro Bowls. He was the equivalent of the modern day First Team All Pro six straight years from 1965 to 1970, and had numerous other awards throughout his career.
Similarly to Lanier, Bell was a ballhawk himself finishing his career with 26 interceptions and grabbing as many as five in 1968. He was eventually inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980 and and in 1983 was the first Chiefs’ player ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Likely the signature moment of Bell’s career was also during the aforementioned 1969 goal line stand against the Jets. On third down, the Jets ran a play-action with a rollout designed to draw the linebacker away from the intended receiver. Luckily, Bell didn’t take the bait and stayed with the intended receiver in Jets fullback Matt Snell. With nowhere to throw, Namath was eventually tackled and the Jets settled for a field goal. Had Bell not read that play the way he did, the Chiefs’ probably don’t have a single Super Bowl to the franchise’s name.
Honestly, Bobby Bell was an incredible player and, as you’ll see with several players in the top five, has an argument to be ranked higher than he is. Still, the two-time AFL Champion and one-time Super Bowl Champion checks in at number five on the list of Chiefs’ top draft picks all time and is one of the greatest and most pivotal defenders to ever play for the franchise.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 29
4. Will Shields
The Chiefs selected offensive lineman Will Shields out of the University of Nebraska in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Shields is the second Husker on this list and had a spectacular career in college and the NFL.
In Shields’ senior season at Nebraska, he was a consensus First Team All American and won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman. Currently, he is one of only 17 Huskers to have his jersey retired by the team.
For the Chiefs, Shields was the definition of durable. From his second game on as a Chief, he never missed a start logging 223 games straight, 331 if you include the playoffs. He is currently fifth all time in most consecutive starts and is third all time amongst offensive lineman.
He was a stalwart on one of the most consistently dominant offensive lines in recent memory that through the years included the likes of John Alt, Brian Waters, and Willie Roaf. From 2001 to 2006, Shields blocked for starting running backs Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson who collectively had five 1,000 yard rushing seasons in six years. He was one of the most outstanding members of an elite unit.
Other than blocking for Joe Montana, one of the most iconic stretches of Shields’ career was the 2002 and 2003 seasons and the production of the starting running back Priest Holmes. Holmes was a fantastic player in his own right, but you could argue that his success was in large part due to the incredible line he ran behind. In those two seasons he had one of the greatest stretches ever for a running back, rushing for 3,035 yards and 48 touchdowns. Without the absolute dominance of players like Shields, there’s no way he would have come close to these numbers.
Shields’s list of individual accomplishments is a long one. He is currently tied for third all time in number of Pro Bowl nominations. From his third year in 1995 till his last in 2006, Shields was voted into 12 straight Pro Bowls. On top of this, he was named a First Team All Pro twice, in 2002 and 2003.
Further, Shields became member of the Walter Camp Football Foundation college football All Century team in 1999, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2012 and finally, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a part of the 2015 class.
Shields is one of the Chiefs’ top five draft picks all time for a reason. He was an incredibly consistent and dominant force on a great offensive line for over a decade. His accolades are well deserved.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 30
3. Derrick Thomas
Derrick Thomas, simply known as “DT” by the fans, is one of the most beloved Chiefs’ players of all time. The Chiefs were lucky enough to draft the All-American pass rushing phenom from the Crimson Tide in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft.
In the illustrious history of Alabama defenses, Thomas is arguably the greatest individual talent that the school has ever produced. Thomas was an absolute wrecking ball on the defensive line, setting the nation’s and Alabama’s current record with a jaw dropping 27 sacks in 1988. He would finish his college career with 52, which is also the current record for sacks in a college career. Technically, the NCAA didn’t begin officially charting sacks until the 2000 season, so Thomas holds these records unofficially. Thomas wrapped up his career with the Tide by winning the Dick Butkus Award for the nation’s most outstanding linebacker.
Unsurprisingly, Thomas hit the NFL ground running. In his rookie season, he started all 16 games and had 10 sacks and three forced fumbles en route to his first Pro Bowl. He was rewarded with the 1989 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, and it was clear he was a star in the making. All he did was follow that up with two straight First Team All Pro selections and eight more Pro Bowls. He was eventually inducted into the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a part of the 2009 class.
Two years in particular stick out for Thomas. In the first, his second season for the Chiefs, Thomas had 63 tackles, racked up 20 sacks and six forced fumbles. It took 25 years and another player on this list for that franchise sack record to fall. The other year, 1993, Thomas had 67 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and a whopping eight forced fumbles. Thomas had this incredible penchant for forced fumbles, something that really hasn’t been duplicated on such a consistent level since.
All in all, Thomas finished his 11-year career with the Chiefs playing in 169 games, racking up 642 combined tackles,126.5 career sacks, and 45 forced fumbles. He currently ranks number one in team history in career sacks, outpacing the number two player Neil Smith by 41 sacks, and ranks number 17 in NFL history in career sacks.
Unfortunately, Derrick Thomas died unexpectedly in 2000 due to complications from a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He was only 33 years old at the time. He checks in at number three on the list of Chiefs’ top draft picks, but if he had been able to continue his playing career he’d be higher on this list. He’d even have a good chance at being in the conversation for best defensive player of all time. Even so, he’s considered one of the greatest pass rushers ever and will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of Chiefs’ fans and football fans alike.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 31
2. Tony Gonzalez
Tony Gonzalez is arguably the most consistently great player in Chiefs’ history. He wasn’t the first athletic tight end who became more than just a blocker, but he took that mold and made it that much more dynamic. He was “Mr. Reliable” for quarterbacks like Elvis Grbac, Rich Gannon, and Trent Green who can thank him, at least in part, for their success.
The Chiefs selected Gonzalez out of California in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He was an All American football player his final season and for his career had 89 catches for 1,302 yards and eight touchdowns. By now, most fans know he was also a solid contributor for the Golden Bears on the hardwood, averaging nearly 7 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Gonzalez progressed quickly when he entered the NFL. He had a great rookie year and was named to the 1997 NFL All Rookie Team, followed by a solid outing his second year. From his third year on, he was a dominant force. He played for the Chiefs for 10 more years, and in that time made it to 10 straight Pro Bowls and was named First Team All Pro five times. In his 12-year career with the Chiefs, he played in 190 games, caught 916 passes, amassed 10,940 passing yards and caught 76 touchdowns.
Gonzalez is currently number one in franchise history in receptions and number two in league history, number one in franchise history in receiving yards and number one in league history for tight ends, and he’s first in franchise history in touchdown receptions and second in league history for tight ends. He’s currently set to be inducted as a first ballot Hall of Famer as part of the 2019 class.
To this point, Gonzalez has had the most consistent statistically dominant career of any tight end and he was one of the most unique offensive weapons for most of his career. He primarily checks in at number two on the list of Chiefs’ top draft picks because of the season and promise of the player at number one. Otherwise, he would be number one on this list.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 34
*A fun fact about Gonzalez: as a two sport star at Huntington Beach High School, he shared Orange County Athlete of the Year honors with Tiger Woods.
1. Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs selected their franchise quarterback and likely future mega-star Patrick Mahomes with the 10th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. It was a watershed moment for a franchise that hadn’t drafted a first round quarterback since Todd Blackledge in 1983. If you’re counting, that’s 34 years. That’s a long time for a fan base to lack a homegrown quarterback.
Call me biased all you want, but with how incredible Mahomes’ first season was, it’s not crazy to think he could wind up being the greatest individual football player of all time. It’s still way too early to be sure, but there are several sound reasons why it could happen. First, he is incredibly talented. He put up monster stats in college in spite of what most would consider poor circumstances, and then had the ability to surpass that at the next level. That just doesn’t happen, and yet, it did.
Second, he’s got an incredible pedigree. His father was a professional pitcher for 12 years, and in that time, Mahomes spent his formative years around some of the most dominant athletes in baseball history. You may think this doesn’t matter, but how a great player carries himself and reacts to fame is important for his success and Mahomes learned this from some of the best.
Third, he has objectively one of the most tactically skilled offensive minds teaching him the ins and outs of the NFL landscape and how to diagnose and beat opposing defenses. Andy Reid is an offensive genius, he really is. You don’t consistently win and put up points, with average players in some years, if you aren’t incredible at your craft. Reid has done this in spades and has been supercharged with the addition of the rocket-armed Mahomes.
Fourth, it’s obvious Mahomes has a mind for the game. There wasn’t a single defensive coordinator in his first year starting that could slow him down for more than a half. Even more, there were only two defensive staffs that could slow him down at all, and it almost ended up not mattering. Yes, in those games he went 1-2, but if you think those coordinators aren’t busting their tail preparing for him this year you’d be wrong. I can guarantee he keeps them up at night, and for good reason.
Finally, Mahomes clearly has a great work ethic. He claims to have spent a significant portion of his offseason analyzing all the parts of his game that he can improve on. He showed in 2018 that he can adapt quickly. Give him an offseason to figure things out, and opposing teams better look out.
Here’s the thing, out of all the players on this list Mahomes has by far the shortest track record. That might make some question his place as the Chiefs’ top draft pick of all time. However, all he did in his second year was destroy the Chiefs’ 54-year old touchdown record, set the Chiefs’ record for passing yards in a season, be named First Team All Pro, win the organization’s first MVP award, and arguably have one of the greatest individual seasons of all time. It was a season for the ages and I see no reason that he’ll slow down any time soon.
ANNUAL IMPACT SCORE: 49
Conclusion:
This is the football offseason, where there’s not much to do for diehard NFL fans but reminisce about past seasons and speculate about future ones. It’s one of many fans’ favorite past times to sit around, crack open a beer, and discuss their favorite players throughout the years.
This method I’ve laid out is a simple way to quantify the total and annual impact that each of these draft picks has had on the Chiefs’ franchise. While it is not completely exhaustive, it gives us a good basis to measure who was most impactful.
Each of the players on the Chiefs’ top 10 list of draft picks has performed incredible feats of strength and finesse on the gridiron. Further, every single one has been a great ambassador for the franchise and its fans. Truthfully, there’s so much more that can be said about each and a few aren’t even done writing their Kansas City legend.
For reference, here is a recap of the full list:
The Chiefs may only have one Super Bowl, so far, but they have had some incredible draft picks throughout the years. In particular, our top draft pick of all time has the potential to bring the elusive Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City. The fervor in Kansas City is at an all time high, and fans have a lot to look forward to.