NFL Draft Grades: Re-grading the KC Chiefs 2022 draft class

Leo Chenal, Linebacker, Round 3, Pick 103

Of the ten rookies the Chiefs drafted last year, the Arrowhead Addict writers gave Leo Chenal the highest grade. Although he played nearly 300 snaps on defense last year, it was a relatively quiet season, which isn’t a bad thing in his case.

According to Pro Football Focus ($), Leo Chenal earned the third-highest defensive grade among all linebackers after Week 9, with at least 160 defensive snaps, at 84.7. He was also the highest-graded rookie linebacker for the entire season. Similar to Bryan Cook, Chenal made his money on special teams. He was second on the team in total special teams snaps and he was excellent the entire season.

To the average fan, Leo Chenal may have had an average rookie season, but that was not the case in reality. He recorded two sacks, one of which came in the Super Bowl, and was excellent in run defense down the stretch. Although the addition of Drue Tranquil could change things for him, I thought he was an underrated player for the Chiefs last year and should see an expanded role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

The Grade in 2022: A

The 2023 Grade: B+

Joshua Williams, Cornerback, Round 4, Pick 135

Coming from a Division II football program, many people, including myself, expected Joshua Williams to have a rather uneventful first year, but that turned out to be anything but true.

Starting in Week 6, except for a few weeks, Joshua Williams became a regular on the defense. The trade of Rashad Fenton mixed with Trent McDuffie’s injury forced him to become a regular player earlier than expected.

Although he finished the season behind L’Jarius Sneed, McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson on the depth chart, he was still a very good cornerback for the Chiefs this season. He recorded clutch interceptions of Jimmy Garappolo in Week 7 and Joe Burrow in the AFC Championship Game. He also saw a lot of playing time on special teams throughout the season. For a fourth-round pick, who was expected to need a red-shirt year, Williams has been a great find by the front office.

The Grade in 2022: B+

The 2023 Grade: A-

Darian Kinnard, Offensive Line, Round 5, Pick 145

By far the quietest rookie of the bunch was offensive lineman Darian Kinnard. The Chiefs picked Kinnard in the 5th round after trading up with Seattle. He was only active for a single game all season and logged just six special teams snaps that night (Week 5 vs. Las Vegas).

When Kinnard was drafted, it was well known that he would be a significant project. The majority of draft analysts projected him as a guard but some believed that he had the potential to be a tackle, with some development.

Although it’s a small positive that he was on the active roster for the entire season, he only suited up for a single game. For all we know, dressing for one game may be what the coaches had planned all along, but it’s a tough look for a fifth-round pick only to play six snaps in his rookie campaign. To his defense, he was stuck behind Nick Allegretti, Prince Tega Wanogho, Lucas Niang, and Geron Christian for a game-day depth role. Three of those players are still on the roster for 2023, not including a potential rookie or two from the 2023 NFL Draft, so Kinnard will need to take a significant step forward if he wants an upgraded role this season. For the time being, he’s on track to be the biggest disappointment of the bunch, unfortunately.

The Grade in 2022: B+

The 2023 Grade: C-