Ranking Chiefs biggest NFL draft gems of the last decade

6. Trey Smith

In the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Chiefs managed to find their starting right guard in Tennessee's Trey Smith. The Tennessee offensive lineman had fallen in the draft due to a concern of blood clots and that was why the Chiefs were able to land him as late as they did.

Smith made an immediate impact in Kansas City, winning the starting right guard job from Day 1 and only missing one start since entering the league. In 2023, Smith had an overall PFF grade of 72.2 and it's quite incredible that the Chiefs were able to find a starting-caliber offensive lineman in the sixth round.

Even if Smith has a down year in 2024 and ends up signing elsewhere, it's hard to argue that he's not a draft gem. Solid starting right guards are hard enough to find as it is but finding one in the sixth round is rare. That's why Trey Smith had to be included on this list.

5. L'Jarius Sneed

The Chiefs spent a fourth-round pick on Louisiana Tech's L'Jarius Sneed in the 2020 NFL Draft and has been a solid defender since entering the league. Shut-down corners don't grow on trees and finding one in the fourth round is a big accomplishment.

Sneed's biggest moment in Kansas City was during the AFC Championship in the 2023 season when he wedged the football out of Zay Flowes' hands as the Ravens receiver was going across the goal line to force a touchback. Were it not for that play, who knows how that game ends? Perhaps the Ravens go on to win the game and advance to the Super Bowl. Fortunately, Sneed did what he did and the Chiefs got the dub.

Sneed might have been traded to Tennessee but there's no debating how vital he was to the Chiefs secondary during his four years in Kansas City. He's absolutely a draft gem.