KC Chiefs first round history feature some of the franchise’s all-time greats
#10 – Bill Maas, Defensive Lineman
The 5th overall selection in the 1984 NFL Draft was Bill Maas, a defensive lineman from Pittsburgh. Maas starred on the Chiefs’ defensive line for nine seasons, and finished his NFL career with his 10th season in Green Bay. Maas would ultimately play in 130 NFL games.
Maas recorded 40 sacks and eight fumble recoveries in his nine year Chiefs career. His sack total ranks him 8th all time in franchise history. He was twice named to the Pro Bowl team for the AFC.
T – #9 – Neil Smith, Defensive End
With the 2nd overall selection in the 1988 draft, the Chiefs selected Nebraska defensive end Neil Smith. Smith would ultimately form a vaunted defensive front with the aforementioned Maas, and future draft picks for Kansas City, which would amount to one of the most productive defensive fronts in NFL history.
Nine of his 13 years in the NFL were spent with Kansas City, and in that time he had 85.5 sacks, 527 tackles including 24 for loss, 12 fumble recoveries and three interceptions. His sack total still ranks 3rd all time in Chiefs history. He also made five Pro Bowls and one 1st Team All-Pro roster in his time with Kansas City. He went on to play four more seasons in the NFL, and won two Super Bowls with Denver in that time.
T – #9 – Tamba Hali, Linebacker
If Smith’s 85.5 sacks rank 3rd in franchise history and make him 9th on the list; then Tamba Hali’s 89.5 (which ranks 2nd in franchise history) also merits listing on this ranking.
The Chiefs selected Hali from Penn State with the 20th overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. He spent all 12 of his seasons in the NFL with Kansas City, and made five Pro Bowl teams in that time. He registered 460 career tackles including a staggering 105 behind the line of scrimmage.
#8 – Ed Budde, Guard
In the 1963 draft, Michigan State guard Ed Budde was selected in the 1st round of both the NFL and AFL drafts, 4th and 8th overall respectively. Despite the perceived prestige advantage of playing in the NFL, Budde spurned the Philadelphia Eagles and instead chose to play for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Over the course of the next 14 seasons, Budde manned the left guard position for Kansas City, and he did not miss a single game in his first nine seasons. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, and was twice named a 1st Team All-Pro. In 1968, he became the first player in league history to win Offensive Player of the Week honors as an offensive lineman.
#7 – Derrick Johnson, Linebacker
The Chiefs selected Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson with the 15th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He played 13 seasons with Kansas City before finishing his career with a six game stint for the Raiders. An All-American at Texas, Johnson came in to the league with significant fanfare, and more than lived up to the billing.
Johnson commanded the defense for Kansas City for his entire career, and finished with 1171 tackles, 103 tackles for loss, 27.5 sacks, eight fumble recoveries, 14 interceptions and four touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and in 2011 was a 1st Team All-Pro selection.
#6 – EJ Holub, Linebacker/Center
EJ Holub was selected by both Dallas professional football teams in the 1961 NFL draft. A second round pick for the Cowboys, Holub chose to play for the Texans instead and became a stalwart for the franchise. Holub would play for the franchise through the move to Kansas City and for 10 seasons overall. He was an integral member of the team for three AFL championships and the Super Bowl IV world championship win.
Holub made the Pro Bowl in five of his first six seasons in the league as a linebacker, and was an All-Pro selection in ’62 and ’63. Later, he switched to the center position for the Chiefs to finish his career through the 1970 season.