The Kansas City Chiefs ended up making ten selections in the 2022 NFL Draft. It was one of the most exciting and enjoyable drafts that I have ever watched as a Chiefs fan. Obviously, having that many draft picks had something to do with that, but it seems like the Chiefs draft is being pretty much universally praised. So now it’s time for that annual post-draft tradition: Draft Grades.
Look, are draft grades super important? Of course not. They have no effect on whether or not these players will be good or not. However, I do find it funny when people attack draft grades as stupid. We just spent the last 2 to 3 months reading every scouting report, big board, and mock draft that we can get our hands on. It’s only natural that we would want to go back to those same places where we got all that pre-draft information and find out what those same people thought of how our favorite team did.
In my experience, when your favorite team gets good draft grades then we’re all happy to share them and talk about them and when your favorite team gets bad draft grades then they’re stupid and a waste of time. It’s human nature. So I thought it might be good to put together several of our Arrowhead Addict writers for one staff report card. That way you don’t have to read a half dozen different draft grade posts here at AA (although I know some of you would read them all). This way you can get a feel for how we here at AA feel about each pick.
A huge thank you to Matt Conner, Zach Gunter, Grant Tuttle, Scott Loring, and Jacob Milham for all contributing their thoughts and grades for this piece. You can see all of our grades for each pick and then I’ve averaged them together for one AA writers’ consensus grade for each pick as well. So let’s kick things off with the first pick that the Chiefs made on Thursday night.
Round 1 – Pick 21 – Trent McDuffie – Cornerback – Washington
Matt Conner: “Veach threaded this needle well to grab an impact corner on a team that has lacked one for years.” Grade: A
Zach Gunter: “This pick has grown on me since it was made. At first, I was begging for Jermaine Johnson. I still believe Johnson was the BPA (Best Player Available), but it’s very hard to argue with the value of a CB like McDuffie.” Grade: A-
Grant Tuttle: “McDuffie’s drafting was all about talent dropping well below where it should have. McDuffie will step in and play 100% of the snaps and could be the most talented defensive back on the team. While he is not a big guy, he has all the makings of a top-tier cornerback for the next decade.” Grade: A-
Lyle Graversen: “My initial reaction to the pick was a disappointment because I had my hopes up for Jermaine Johnson and I didn’t do much work on McDuffie during the pre-draft process. When I stopped and thought about the fact that the reason I didn’t look at McDuffie much was that I thought he was too good and would go high enough that’s there was no way Brett “I don’t invest in corners” Veach would take him, I quickly came around on the pick.” Grade: A-
Scott Loring: “I think we will grow to love the player. Having 12 picks means the Chiefs had the ammo to get the guy they wanted at the spot they wanted. Did they pay too much to move up 8 slots? Maybe, but McDuffie was a consensus top-15 talent.” Grade: A-
Jacob Milham: Grade: A
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: A-
Round 1 – Pick 30 – George Karlaftis – Edge – Purdue
Matt Conner: “Some folks are down on the ceiling, but the Chiefs need his floor and then some. A glue pick.” Grade: A-
Zach Gunter: “Karlaftis fell right into our laps. I’ve said from the beginning that EDGE was our highest position of need, and I never expected we would get one as solid and NFL-ready as Karlaftis is. Amazing pick.” Grade: A++
Grant Tuttle: “Karlaftis is somewhat divisive in Kansas City. While he is never going to be a 20-sacks-in-a-season kind of guy, Karlaftis is a very intelligent and powerful player and fits the prototype that Steve Spagnuolo loves on his defensive line. While Karlaftis is not a home run, he could certainly be a base-clearing triple.” Grade: B+
Lyle Graversen: “I wasn’t banging the drum for Karlaftis leading up to the draft because I truly believed that the Chiefs would have to trade up for him and I didn’t think he had the elite upside to invest a bunch of picks in. However, he’s fantastic value at pick #30. He’ll be a good starting player at KC’s biggest area of need. I also love his relentless attitude on the field and think when mixed with a couple of other picks KC made will help reinvent the personality of this defense.” Grade: A
Scott Loring: “Hard to find an edge rusher at 30 that is ready to start on day 1, but the Chiefs did. Still just 21, Karlaftis should be able to strengthen up even more in the weight room.” Grade: B+
Jacob Milham: “Don’t let his slide fool you. Karlaftis might not be a Day 1 monster, but his ceiling is higher than his draft peers.” Grade: A+
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: A-
Round 2 – Pick 54 – Skyy Moore – Wide Receiver – Western Michigan
Matt Conner: “I’m not convinced sliding down 4 spots only to see multiple receivers go in that short span was worth the shift, but I like Moore in general. Just like George Pickens more.” Grade: B
Zach Gunter: “I wanted Jalen Tolbert. Bad. He was my guy from day one. But Moore is a very good WR. I can’t argue with that fact. I just really hope he can be our guy.” Grade: A
Grant Tuttle: “A certified “my guy” from this draft, Skyy Moore brings serious talent in his separation ability. As a guy I really thought would go in the top 40, he was an absolute steal for Brett Veach at pick 54.” Grade: A+
Lyle Graversen: “I love this pick. Veach got a guy that I would have been okay with them taking at pick #30. Instead, Veach moved back a few spots and picked up an additional pick. Yes, I would have taken George Pickens over him based on the tape, but I don’t have all the medical and character background information. The bottom line is that I think Moore helps fill part of the hole left by Tyreek Hill’s departure and can be a reliable weapon for Patrick Mahomes.” Grade: A
Scott Loring: “He fell into their laps. Excellent combination of value+need with this pick.” Grade: A
Jacob Milham: Grade: A-
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: A-
Round 2 – Pick 62 – Bryan Cook – Safety – Cincinnati
Matt Conner: “This has nothing to do with Cook and everything to do with bigger needs. Another edge should have been an early focus, given value at safety in later rounds.” Grade: B-
Zach Gunter: “I think we took Safety about 41 picks too early. I think we should’ve gone LB or DL here. But, Cook is an absolutely lockdown safety and was a great value pick.” Grade: B-
Grant Tuttle: “Brett Veach is the expert and had an excellent draft overall, but Bryan Cook seemed like a reach at the back end of the second. Cook is talented enough to be a contributor, but it doesn’t seem like he does any ONE thing particularly well. I would love to be proven wrong, but Cook seems like an average to slightly below average guy at the next level.” Grade: C+
Lyle Graversen: “In a lot of other Chiefs drafts this might have been one of my favorite picks. Bryan Cook made my draft crush list because he’s a fantastic tackler while still being reliable in coverage. The physical upgrade from Dan Sorensen to Cook will be noticeable. I get that some had this pick as a reach and would have targeted other players first, but everyone will be glad he’s on the team when the games start.” Grade: A-
Scott Loring: “Could have perhaps traded down to secure him, but when you know you don’t want to let a guy go, you take him. Clearly, the Chiefs have a definitive plan with Cook, and it looks like he’ll fill the third safety in Spags’ nickel and dime packages.” Grade: B
Jacob Milham: “Hard-nosed player, who does have room to grow. Veach and company must feel comfortable with his medicals.” Grade: B
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: B
Round 3 – Pick 103 – Leo Chenal – Linebacker – Wisconsin
Matt Conner: “The value and overall elevation of linebacker to potentially elite as a unit are strong.” Grade: A-
Zach Gunter: “The most PERFECT pick we had in this draft. I never imagined Chenal would be there for us at 103. I’m so glad we drafted this beast.” Grade: A+
Grant Tuttle: “Leo Chenal is not going to be an every-down-linebacker. He is going to be a first and second-down guy and will rotate in on third and short. While Chenal is crazily athletic, he will never be a pass coverage-type. He will however be very good against the run. He will be an asset against the run at the strongside linebacker spot from day one. He also could be a guy that lands several sacks off of Spagnuolo blitzes.” Grade: A-
Lyle Graversen: “This is my favorite pick. Not only was Chenal on my draft crush list, but he was my favorite linebacker in this draft class period. His power, tackling, and straight-line explosion are so fun to watch. The value at pick #103 is insane. Fantastic pick.” Grade: A+
Scott Loring: “Excellent value. Will be a fun player to watch, like the Sam, and also on special teams. Not stellar in coverage, but probably won’t be asked to do a lot of it anyway.” Grade: A-
Jacob Milham: “There are dogs and then there are DAWGS. Chenal is the latter.” Grade: A
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: A
Round 4 – Pick 135 – Joshua Williams – Cornerback – Fayetteville State
Matt Conner: “Chiefs are right to bet on their ability to coach up a player and to double down on corner.” Grade: A-
Zach Gunter: “Williams is a very good CB, don’t get me wrong. I just think there were higher positions of need.” Grade: B
Grant Tuttle: “While Williams is not a surefire pick, the potential is certainly there. With tremendous athleticism and size, it would not be surprising if Williams was able to carve out a role in year one.” Grade: B+
Lyle Graversen: “While McDuffie is obviously the major addition to the cornerback room, his size made grabbing a bigger outside corner later in the draft necessary. If you read my post on mid-round corners, there were four guys that I wanted the Chiefs to target in that range. Williams was one of them.” Grade: A-
Scott Loring: “The Chiefs need bodies at corner and taking a second here was wise. Could be the next in the mold of Rashad Fenton and L’Jarius Sneed, both later round corners who succeeded in the Spags system.” Grade: B
Jacob Milham: Grade: B+
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: B+
Round 5 – Pick 145 – Darian Kinnard – Offensive Line – Kentucky
Matt Conner: “Dude’s a straight mauler, but KC’s trending toward plodding bookends. Gotta slide him inside as depth.” Grade: C+
Zach Gunter: “The most concerning pick, in my opinion. Kinnard looks fierce on tape, his combine really scares me. Also, I think tackle was a higher position of need than guard. And for that, we should have gone either Braxton Jones or Matt Waletzko, both of whom were still on the board.” Grade: C
Grant Tuttle: “Value, value, value. Kinnard may be a starter at right tackle or just a depth guy that could play any spot on the line. While his role is not known yet, he will be a good rotational and depth piece on day one at the very least. Getting that in the fifth round??? Steal of a pick.” Grade: A
Lyle Graversen: “The value of this pick is off the charts. I get that some are convinced that Kinnard will have to play guard, but his arm length and the fact that the Chiefs were willing to trade up for him tell me they think he can be a right tackle in the NFL. If he could play tackle that well in the SEC and he has the backing of OL guru Duke Manyweather, who am I to argue?” Grade: A
Scott Loring: “Value will depend on where the Chiefs ultimately plug him in. Might be more efficient as a guard, but there’s no pathway toward a starting role there.” Grade: B+
Jacob Milham: Grade: B+
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: B+
Round 7 – Pick 243 – Jaylen Watson – Cornerback – Washington State
Matt Conner: “Another corner might seem much, but Watson’s profile makes him worth the attempt.” Grade: A-
Zach Gunter: “Another CB…? I would’ve liked either a Saftey or DL here. This pick confuses me. Guy has a fire in him though. Go prove me wrong, dude.” Grade: C
Grant Tuttle: “The seventh round is where you bank on traits and potential. Watson looks the part and the Chiefs clearly loved him during the predraft process.” Grade: B-
Lyle Graversen: “The seventh round is for long shots. You could do a lot worse than grabbing another big outside corner prospect that many thought would go a round or two earlier. I get that they already had taken a couple of other corners, but his value as a 7th-round pick is still good.” Grade: A
Scott Loring: Grade: A-
Jacob Milham: “Watson is a big project. He will test this coaching staff.” Grade: C+
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: B
Round 7 – Pick 251 – Isiah Pacheco – Running Back – Rutgers
Matt Conner: “Veach is convinced that he’ll find RB value late, so how can you beat a 7th round flyer?” Grade: B+
Zach Gunter: “YES! I absolutely LOVE this guy. I was iffy on the pick at first, but he’s got some skill to him. Not that we needed an running back, we had three likely game-day guys and the potential to re-sign McKinnon, but this guy has me wanting to run through a brick wall for him.” Grade: A+
Grant Tuttle: “Pacheco was one of the most underrated backs in this class. Veach was not afraid to say that there were guys at the end of the draft that could be very good at running back. He was 100% on with Pacheco. With tremendous burst and a willingness to do the dirty work, Pacheco could truly get a chance to contribute from day one on special teams and on third down.” Grade: A+
Lyle Graversen: “I’ll admit that I didn’t know anything about Pacheco before the Chiefs took him. After watching a little of his highlights I can see the appeal. There’s an opening for the 3rd running back spot on the roster and Pacheco looks like he has a good chance to stick. That sounds like a good use of a 7th-round pick to me.” Grade: A
Scott Loring: Grade: B-
Jacob Milham: Grade: A
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: A-
Round 7 – Pick 259 – Nazeeh Johnson – Defensive Back – Marshall
Matt Conner: “The secondary emphasis is a bit much. Almost any other position makes more sense here.” Grade: C-
Zach Gunter: “Another fourth CB. This is easily my least favorite pick. He’s fast. That’s it.” Grade: D
Grant Tuttle: “The Chiefs are once again banking on size and athleticism with this pick, but it is hard to see the glaring reason that Kansas City made this pick instead of some of the other guys that were still on the board. Johnson may be solid and could be a very good special teamer, but it is difficult to see him lasting very long on an NFL roster.” Grade: C-
Lyle Graversen: “I know nothing about Nazeeh Johnson. It sounds like he’s a safety/corner hybrid with some speed. Sounds like a potential Dave Toub special teams pick, but they already had drafted four other defensive backs at this point so I would have preferred they took a flier on another position.” Grade: D
Scott Loring: Grade: B-
Jacob Milham: Grade: B
AA Writers’ Consensus Grade: C-
Final AA Writers Report Card
Thanks again to Matt Conner, Zach Gunter, Grant Tuttle, Scott Loring, and Jacob Miller for contributing their thoughts and grades for this post. Here’s how the final grades ended up for the Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft class.
Trent McDuffie: A-
George Karlaftis: A-
Skyy Moore: A-
Bryan Cook: B
Leo Chenal: A
Joshua Williams: B+
Darian Kinnard: B+
Jaylen Watson: B
Isiah Pacheco: A-
Nazeeh Johnson: C-
If you weigh the grades by round so that each round is weighted less, the good grades early on were enough to carry this draft class to a strong final grade.
Overall AA Writer’s Weighted Draft Grade: A-
So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you agree with our writer grades? Do you think overall we were too generous or too harsh? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.