Since joining the ranks of professional football in 1960 in the AFL as the Dallas Texans, the franchise now known as the Kansas City Chiefs (the move was made in 1963) hasn't had many top-10 draft picks.
Truth be told, the number is less than 25. But seeing as how the draft order is primarily determined by the reverse order of finish from the previous regular season, with the worst team picking first and the Super Bowl winner picking last, it's obviously a good thing that the Chiefs haven't had as many top-10 selections as other teams.
Despite the fairly low number, Kansas City has landed some absolute legends with its top-10 picks, one of whom, of course, is still going in Patrick Mahomes, who many already view as one of the greatest top-10 picks in NFL history. If you haven't already guessed, we'll give you the spoiler that Mahomes takes the top spot on this list, but let's have a look at the four others joining him.
5. Neil Smith, DE, 1988 (No. 2 overall)
This was an extremely tough call, and if this were a list of six, Eric Berry would be on it. But as it's only a list of five, we had to roll with defensive end Neil Smith, who was taken second overall by Kansas City in 1988.
The Nebraska alum didn't make a massive impact as a rookie, but he just continued to improve each and every season until he was one of the most dominant defensive ends in the entire league.
Smith spent nine of his 13 NFL seasons with the Chiefs, racking up 85.5 sacks en route to earning five of his six career trips to the Pro Bowl, two of his three All-Pro selections, and a pair of top-five finishes in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.
4. Ed Budde, G, 1963 (No. 8 overall)
Ahead of their first season in Kansas City, the Chiefs had a pair of first-round picks in the 1963 AFL Draft and used the No. 8 overall selection on Michigan State offensive guard Ed Budde, who was also taken fourth overall in the 1963 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Budde obviously chose to sign with the Chiefs and ultimately spent his entire 14-year career in Kansas City, helping the team to an AFL Championship and a Super Bowl victory while also earning five AFL All-Star selections, two trips to the Pro Bowl following the AFL-NFL merger, and four total All-AFL selections (two First Team, two Second Team).
Budde was named to the AFL All-Time Team after the league shut down in 1970 and was inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Honor in 1984.
3. Buck Buchanan, DT, 1963 (No. 1 overall)
After coming to terms on a trade with the then-Oakland Raiders to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in that same 1963 AFL Draft, with Lamar Hunt shipping out quarterback Cotton Davidson (without telling head coach Hank Stram, by the way), the Chiefs took defensive tackle Buck Buchanan, who signed his contract with the team before the 1963 NFL Draft even took place a couple of days later.
The New York Giants still selected the Grambling alum in the 19th round at No. 265 overall, but his mind was obviously already made up.
Like Budde, Buchanan, who won the same two championships mentioned above, spent his entire career with the Chiefs, playing 13 seasons in Kansas City and racking up 70.5 sacks. He was a six-time AFL All-Star, a six-time First-Team All-AFL selection, a two-time Pro Bowler, and a one-time NFL All-Pro selection.
The Alabama native joined Budde on the AFL All-Time Team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
2. Derrick Thomas, LB, 1989 (No. 4 overall)
Taken fourth overall by the Chiefs in the 1989 NFL Draft as part of a top five that also included future Hall of Famers Troy Aikman (No. 1 Dallas Cowboys), Barry Sanders (No. 3, Detroit Lions), and Deion Sanders (No. 5, Atlanta Falcons), Derrick Thomas wasted no time making an impact in Kansas City.
The Alabama alum tallied 75 total tackles and 10.0 sacks in his first professional season en route to earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and he was off and running from there.
Thomas ultimately spent 11 seasons with the Chiefs before his tragic death in early 2000, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and five total All-Pro nods (two First Team, three Second Team). In those 11 years, he racked up 641 total tackles, 44 forced fumbles, and a franchise record 126.5 sacks.
His No. 58 was retired, and he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, 2017 (No. 10 overall)
As if anyone else could be No. 1.
Taken 10th overall in 2017 after Kansas City struck a deal with the Buffalo Bills to move up 17 spots, Patrick Mahomes began his professional career sitting behind Alex Smith for a season, appearing in just one game as a rookie.
But once the Texas Tech alum got his shot in 2018, he quickly put the league on notice, completing 66.0 percent of his passes for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns en route to winning NFL MVP. He then led the Chiefs to their first AFC Championship Game appearance in 25 years, where they famously lost in overtime to Tom Brady's New England Patriots.
The following year, of course, Mahomes led Kansas City to its first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years and helped the franchise to a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. And it's simply been more of that same success since.
Through his first nine seasons, the Texas native has thrown for 35,939 yards and 267 touchdowns during the regular season and another 5,814 yards and 46 scores in 21 postseason outings.
Mahomes has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl wins in five appearances, taking Super Bowl MVP honors in each victory, and has now won two regular-season MVPs, while also earning six trips to the Pro Bowl and three total All-Pro selections (two First Team, one Second Team).
Add us as a preferred source on Google