The Kansas City Chiefs have wrapped up their 2023 NFL Draft with seven selections, adding a group of promising players to their roster. Many of these players have the potential to make an immediate impact on the field and contribute to the team’s success in the upcoming season.
With several key needs to address, the Chiefs focused on adding depth and competition at several premium positions, including pass rusher, wide receiver, and offensive tackle. With a mix of seasoned veterans and promising second-year studs, the Chiefs’ 2023 draft class has the potential to help take the team to the next level and repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Following their highly successful 2022 draft class, Brett Veach and his team are facing increased expectations to deliver another strong group of rookies, particularly since the draft was held in Kansas City this year. The pressure is on to impress the hometown fans and build on the team’s recent championship, but with a solid strategy in place and a keen eye for talent, the Chiefs are poised to once again bring in a group of promising young players who can contribute to the team’s ongoing success.
Kansas City Chiefs 2023 NFL Draft picks
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State (No. 31)
- Rashee Rice, WR, SMU (No. 55)
- Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma (No. 92)
- Chamarri Conner, DB, Virginia Tech (No. 119)
- B.J. Thompson, DE, Stephen F. Austin (No. 166)
- Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas (No. 194)
- Nic Jones, CB, Ball State (No. 250)
Although it’s early to predict the potential success of these players, let’s dive into grading every selection made by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Round 1, Pick 31: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
The Chiefs made a significant move in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting Felix Anudike-Uzomah out of Kansas State with the 31st overall pick. Anudike-Uzomah is a versatile pass rusher with impressive athleticism, making him a potentially early impactful addition to Kansas City’s defensive line. What makes this pick a little bit sweeter is that FAU is a native of the Kansas City metro and now has the opportunity to win a Super Bowl with his childhood team.
To begin with, FAU exhibited a great sense of drive and urgency while with the Wildcats. He can rush from almost any alignment on the defensive line and was fantastic at converting speed to power while rushing the passer. He can win both as a power rusher and as a speed rusher. Anudike-Uzomah is still extremely young and inexperienced, having just turned 21 years old in late January and logging only 700 career pass-rushing snaps while at Kansas State. He’s NFL-ready and has no true weakness in his game. The fact that he’s already this refined with relatively little experience should be an exciting thought for Chiefs fans.
With youth and inexperience comes inconsistent technique, and his hand placement and other areas of his craft will need to improve for him to thrive at the NFL level. He also is a little undersized but should bulk up when he enters the Chiefs facility. Although he is a willing run defender, which Steve Spagnuolo values, he still needs to clean up that part of his game,
Nevertheless, his athletic build, speed rush, and explosion are exactly what the Chiefs needed from their edge rushers, and he will complement the power of 2022 rookie George Karlaftis.
Although the value wasn’t tremendous, Felix Anudike-Uzomah was expected to be selected anywhere from the late first to early second rounds of the draft, and he plays a position that is both a premium one and a long-term need for the Chiefs. This pick isn’t a home run, but it’s a solid one that fills a need on the Chiefs’ roster.
The Grade: B+
Round 2, Pick 55: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
The Kansas City Chiefs made an interesting move in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting wide receiver Rashee Rice out of Southern Methodist University (SMU) with the 55th overall pick after trading up with Detroit.
Rice is a promising prospect who has the potential to contribute immediately to the Chiefs’ offense. With his combination of size, speed, and overall athleticism, Rice could be a valuable addition to the Chiefs’ receiving corps and help them improve upon their already potent passing attack. He has the contested catch ability the offense has seemingly lacked from its wide receiver core in the Patrick Mahomes era. He also didn’t have many issues with tracking deep balls, which is a valuable trait with Mahomes at quarterback.
Despite his promising skills, Rashee Rice still has some areas for improvement. He struggled at times to create separation against man coverage, which could prove to be a significant problem when the Chiefs face a defense with quality cornerbacks. Rice also had issues with drops during his senior season, including dropping three balls versus Cincinnati in Week 8.
Overall, Rashee Rice addresses a position of need for the Chiefs and plays a premium position. Although the value of the pick wasn’t amazing, as I preferred multiple other receivers who were still available, Rice possesses a skill set that the team has been lacking from its top wide receivers in recent years. While it may take some time for him to earn the trust of head coach Andy Reid, Rice’s contested catch ability makes him a potential weapon in the red zone.
With his size, speed, and athleticism, Rice has the potential to make an immediate impact on the Chiefs’ offense and develop into a true #1 wide receiver in the future. He’s the riskiest pick in Kansas City’s draft class, but if the team can develop him properly, the potential reward is well worth it.
The Grade: C+
Round 3, Pick 92: Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma
For their second consecutive pick, the Chiefs traded up to land the prospect they wanted, offensive tackle Wanya Morris from Oklahoma, formerly with the Tennessee Volunteers from 2019 through 2020. This time, they moved up three spots with their intra-conference rival Cincinnati from 95 to 92, giving up the 217th overall pick to do so.
Morris is a highly-talented prospect who started at right tackle for the Sooners in 2022, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors. His overall wingspan, considering his height, is insane and his hand technique is very good. Although Morris is more of a pass protector, he’s also physical in the running game and should never be a problem for the Chiefs in that area.
While Morris has a lot of potential, he also has some areas where he needs to improve in order to be successful at the next level. One of his biggest weaknesses is his athleticism and strength, which is likely why he was available in the third round. He relied heavily on his arm length and hand technique for pass protection in college, and will need to continue to build strength in order to handle the power of NFL pass rushers.
Additionally, Oklahoma didn’t often ask their offensive linemen to pass block using true pass sets, which could be an adjustment for him in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus ($), Morris had just 70 true pass sets last season (“True Pass Set” excludes plays with less than 4 rushers, play action, screens, short dropbacks and time-to-throws under 2 seconds). Morris also missed the first two games of the 2022 season, allegedly due to grades, which isn’t ideal but doesn’t raise any significant character concerns.
Overall, this is a really solid pick for the Chiefs. While Wanya Morris has some areas for improvement, he has traits that the team values in offensive tackles. With his impressive arm length and solid hand technique, Morris has the potential to compete for the starting right tackle job against Lucas Niang and Prince Tega Wanogho.
While he may need some time to adjust to pro-style passing sets and build his strength for NFL pass rushers, Morris has the potential to develop into a quality starter in the league. It will be interesting to see how he performs in his rookie season and whether he can earn a starting spot on the Chiefs’ offensive line at some point in 2023, right next to old teammate at the University of Tennessee, Trey Smith.
The Grade: A-
Round 4, Pick 119: Chamarri Conner, S, Virginia Tech
For the third time in this draft, the Chiefs traded up to take a prospect they coveted. This time, they jumped up from 134 to 119 to select former Virginia Tech Hokie safety, Chamarri Conner.
Conner proved to be a versatile asset for the Virginia Tech defense, taking snaps from multiple positions such as 279 in the slot, 253 as a free safety, and 121 in the box. His confidence in challenging receivers at the catch point, coupled with his size and physicality, makes him an effective defender against tight ends. Furthermore, he demonstrated his high character by serving as a team captain for multiple seasons.
There are a few concerns with Conner’s game, such as his struggles with open-field tackles and being beaten by speedy receivers too often. Additionally, his ball skills could use improvement.
Conner’s early contributions to the Chiefs are likely to come on special teams. With his impressive work ethic and intensity, he is sure to impress special teams coordinator Dave Toub. However, his presence could signal the end for Deon Bush in Kansas City. While there are several established safeties currently ahead of him on the depth chart, such as Justin Reid, Bryan Cook, and Mike Edwards, Conner will have little pressure to play on defense this season, which is a positive as he still has room for development in that area. Although he may not see much action on defense in 2023, expect to see him frequently on special teams snaps.
While the trade up to acquire him may not have been ideal for some, Conner has the potential to be a valuable contributor in the future.
The Grade: B
Round 5, Pick 166: BJ Thompson, EDGE, Stephen F. Austin
Of all the Chiefs’ picks this year, BJ Thompson has, in my opinion, the highest potential ceiling. Though he is a bit undersized at 6’6″ and 240 pounds, his athleticism is off the charts. He has incredible speed and stride length for his height, which he uses to his advantage when rushing the passer. His bend and agility are impressive.
However, Thompson’s physicality and strength against the run needs improvement. The Chiefs typically prefer defensive ends who are bigger and stronger against the run, which makes their selection of Thompson a bit surprising. For him to excel in the NFL, he must increase his bulk and strength. Although his current lack of strength might be acceptable against FCS competition, he will face a significant challenge against NFL offensive tackles.
Despite this, I think this is an excellent pick. Thompson is a project and should be primarily a special teams player early in his career. He may serve as a pass-rush specialist on defense initially, but he cannot play on early downs as a rookie due to his lack of strength. He needs serious development to reach his potential.
Overall, the Chiefs should be taking chances on prospects with Pro Bowl potential at this point in the draft. The hit rate for players taken in the fifth round or later is low, so teams may as well take gambles on high-potential prospects like Thompson, even if they require significant development.
The Grade: A-
Round 6, Pick 194: Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas
This is my favorite pick of the Chiefs’ draft class. Keondre Coburn stands at an imposing 6’2″ and 332 pounds, but he is surprisingly athletic. His forte is run defense, as he’s a prototypical nose tackle that is tough for blockers to move. He has excellent leverage and underrated short-area agility, which he gained through experience with the Texas Longhorns. Coburn is also skilled at diagnosing plays.
Although he’s primarily a run defender, he also showed promise as a pass rusher in his final college season, recording 31 total pressures in 253 pass rush snaps. However, his consistency and long-term pass-rushing potential are concerns. Despite his solid production, his NFL pass-rush ability may be limited to bull-rushing. Additionally, he struggles with his motor, and his film can be inconsistent. He looked like a first-round prospect in some games, but like a UDFA in others.
Despite some concerns about his consistency and long-term pass-rushing potential, Keondre Coburn is a fantastic value pick for the Chiefs at 194th overall. His immediate impact as a strong run defender adds depth to the defensive line and he could potentially replace Derrick Nnadi, whose contract expires after the 2023 season. However, Coburn will need to work on improving his motor and consistency in order to become a dominant run stuffer and solid pass rusher in the NFL. That being said, his potential to outperform his draft position is high, making him a strong candidate to be a steal in the draft class. While he may not end up being the best player from this draft for the Chiefs, he certainly has the potential to make a significant impact for the team.
The Grade: A
Round 7, Pick 250: Nic Jones, Cornerback, Ball State
The Chiefs wrapped up their 2023 NFL Draft by selecting Nic Jones, a cornerback from Ball State University.
Jones possesses long arms, a trait preferred by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo, and recorded two interceptions during his final college season. While he was solid in press coverage, he needs to improve his tackling and locating deep balls, and he doesn’t have the ideal speed for a cornerback.
However, Jones could make an immediate impact on special teams. He blocked both a field goal and a punt during his college career, and his ability to rush on punts and field goals will be an asset in the NFL.
While he may be a backup for the Chiefs, Jones has the potential to develop into a solid rotational cornerback and special teams ace. At the 250th pick in the draft, any playing time he receives would be considered a good pick.
The Grade: B-
Overall Draft Class
Overall, the Chiefs had a solid draft class. They addressed positions of need such as defensive end, wide receiver, and offensive tackle, but the value of their early picks could have been better. Although not bad, it wasn’t exceptional either.
When evaluating draft classes, I tend to give more weight to the earlier picks than the later ones. While Felix Anudike-Uzomah has the potential to be a great player, Rashee Rice needs improvement in several areas to thrive, and Wanya Morris may not be ready for immediate playing time.
Overall, Brett Veach and his team had a good draft. After last year’s dominant class, fans may have had higher expectations, but this group has the potential to help the team win Super Bowls in the future. They addressed important needs at key positions without reaching for any player. While some fans may not be thrilled with the picks, they should be satisfied with the class overall.
The Grade: B