Top 5 draft classes in Kansas City Chiefs history
By Grant Tuttle
The Chiefs have received a ton of praise for this draft class. We take a look at Chiefs’ drafts historically and how this class possibly compares to the top five.
The Kansas City Chiefs have received a lot of credit for the amount of value that they drafted at each pick. With almost universal praise, it got us wondering about which draft classes were the best in Chiefs history.
The Chiefs have had their share of good drafts, bad drafts, and somewhere-in-between drafts The criteria for this article will be based on a couple of different variables: immediate impact for the Kansas City Chiefs and the class in its totality’s on Chiefs history. Simply put, draft classes like 1997 and 1993 aren’t going to be top classes just because they yielded one impact player in each draft: Tony Gonzalez and Will Shields respectively. While both are Hall of Famers, the tight end position and guard position on their own are not enough to move the needle, especially when it is just one good player out of an entire draft class.
So, which draft classes are the best in Chiefs history? Let’s get started at number five.
5. 2008 DRAFT CLASS
Class in its entirety:
- R1 Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
- R1 Branden Albert, OT, Virginia
- R2 Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
- R3 Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas
- R3 Brad Cottam, TE, Tennessee
- R3 DaJuan Morgan, CB, North Carolina State
- R4 Will Franklin, WR, Missouri
- R5 Brandon Carr, CB, Grand Valley State
- R6 Barry Richardson, T/G, Clemson
- R6 Kevin Robinson, WR, Utah State
- R7 Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner-Webb
- R7 Mike Merritt, TE, Central Florida
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Most Notable Players:
This class is notable because of the influx of talent that joined the team after a disastrous 4-12 2006-2007 season. Most notably in this class, we find Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers, Jamaal Charles, Brandon Carr, and Barry Richardson.
Of course of these names, Jamaal Charles invokes the most love and stardom. Charles is arguably one of the best running backs in NFL history, finishing his career in Kansas City with 7,260 rushing yards, 64 total touchdowns, and a whopping 5.5 yards per carry. Charles was a certified star, who made some bad Chiefs teams worth watching.
Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr worked in tandem for several years in Kansas City. Because they played on a team that was quarterbacked by a combination of Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, and Matt Cassel, they were somewhat overlooked. Carr and Flowers combined for 155 passes defended, 25 interceptions, and 19 tackles for a loss during their time in Kansas City.
Branden Albert was a good starter for several seasons and made one Pro Bowl during his time in Kansas City. For several seasons, Barry Richardson was a functional starter and a nice rotational piece for several seasons.
Impact on Chiefs History:
Everyone remembers that Glenn Dorsey was an incredible bust after a great collegiate career, but the Chiefs mostly hit in this class. While not everyone was a starter or long-term Chief, they added a number of contributors and an immediate influx of talent that became the building blocks on the way back to relevance.
Jamaal Charles is a legend in Kansas City. While many are on Team Don’t Draft Running Backs, Charles is the exception to this rule. Carr, Flowers, Richardson, and Albert all started in their careers and were a big part of the team’s (few) successes. In the seasons after Trent Green and before Alex Smith, we all needed to find the good. This draft class provided hope and bright spots in a way that many draft classes had not to this point.