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Grading the Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Draft Class

By Lyle Graversen

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Fans wait for the start of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Fans wait for the start of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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TALLAHASSEE, FL – DECEMBER 12: Tight End Noah Gray #87 of the Duke Blue Devils before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on December 12, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Blue Devils 56 to 35. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL – DECEMBER 12: Tight End Noah Gray #87 of the Duke Blue Devils before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on December 12, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Blue Devils 56 to 35. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

Noah Gray – TE – Duke – Round 5 – Pick 162

While there weren’t any picks in this draft that I flat out didn’t like, this was the one about which my excitement was the most muted. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t like the pick, I just think that Gray is a little one-dimensional as a tight end. I question if K.C. really needed to move up to get him.

My view of Gray is that he is one of the best route running and sure handed tight ends in this class, I just don’t see him as having any real value as an inline blocker. As long as Travis Kelce is a Chief, a major part of the TE2 role will be to line up next to a tackle and block and Gray is simply weak there right now.

If they want to put a second tight end on the field who can line up in the slot and be a matchup problem to cover, Gray will do great. He’s basically an oversized slot receiver right now. I think he can make some plays in the passing game, but his true value as a tight end will be capped by how much his blocking can be improved.

While I like Gray’s pass catching upside, there were some players like Simi Fehoko, Stone Forsythe, JaCoby Stevens, and Shakur Brown (who ended up going undrafted) that I would have loved in this same spot. I didn’t hate this pick, I just didn’t love it either. Here’s to hoping his receiving skills makes me look like an idiot for giving him this average draft grade.

Draft Slot Value vs Reach: C
Best Player Available: C
Need/Immediate Impact: B
Long Term Upside: C
Fit With the Chiefs: C

Overall Pick Grade: C

Next up, the Chiefs took another pass catcher with their second 5th round selection.

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