After suffering 11 losses this past season, the most since the 2012 campaign, the Kansas City Chiefs have also suffered some losses this offseason, first trading away one of the names you'll see on our list below and then watching several key contributors on both sides of the ball find new homes in free agency, a list that includes the likes of Jaylen Watson, Bryan Cook, Leo Chenal, and Isiah Pacheco.
Kansas City did add to the roster in free agency as well, of course, the biggest offensive signing being Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, while also bringing in some defensive help in safety Alohi Gilman and defensive tackle Alohi Gilman.
But the Chiefs still have plenty of holes to fill, and the next step in that process comes at the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, where they'll make a pair of picks in the opening round, first at No. 9 overall, marking their first top-10 selection since they traded up to get Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 in 2017, and then again at No. 29.
The last time Kansas City had two first-round picks was just four years ago, and fans are hoping that the organization has the same success it did that night in 2022, as the three first-rounders taken since haven't quite matched up. And that's our segue into our rankings of the last five players the Chiefs have taken in the opening round of the NFL draft.
5. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, 2023 (No. 31 overall)
With the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who'd earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-American honors at Kansas State in 2022.
Unfortunately, the Kansas City native hasn't been the game-changing presence the Chiefs were hoping for.
For starters, of course, Anudike-Uzomah missed this entire past season with a hamstring injury. But even when healthy, he hasn't been overly productive, amassing just 3.0 sacks between the '23 and '24 campaigns. It'll be interesting to see where he lands on the depth chart for the 2026 season, as one has to assume the Chiefs will be looking for an edge rusher in this year's draft.
4. Josh Simmons, OT, 2025 (No. 32 overall)
As Josh Simmons, who was taken 32nd overall a year ago, only has one season under his belt, it's obviously a little too early to tell how this selection will work out.
The Ohio State alum was solid in pass protection as a rookie, with his 75.5 PFF pass-blocking grade ranking 25th among 89 eligible tackles. But his presence in the running game left a lot to be desired, as his 48.1 run-blocking mark ranked 83rd.
3. Xavier Worthy, WR, 2024 (No. 28 overall)
The Chiefs were obviously excited about Xavier Worthy, as they traded up four spots to select the Texas speedster at No. 28 overall in the 2024 draft.
Worthy certainly hasn't developed into a genuine WR1 like some other first-round wideouts, but he's been a solid second or third option for Patrick Mahomes, catching 101 passes for 1,170 yards and seven touchdowns over his first two seasons, adding another 191 yards and three scores as a rusher.
It's a little bit baffling that the Chiefs haven't utilized him as a return man, as Worthy led the NCAA in punt-return yardage during his final year with the Longhorns in 2023, but perhaps that'll change in 2026 if Kansas City goes looking for other wideout options in the draft.
2. George Karlaftis, DE, 2022 (No. 30 overall)
With the second of their two first-rounders in 2022, the Chiefs took Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis, who'd earned First-Team All-Big 10 and First-Team All-American honors for the Boilermakers in 2021.
The Athens native made an immediate impact, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after posting 33 total tackles, 11 QB hits, 6.0 sacks, and seven passes defended, and he's continued to do so in the years since.
Over the course of his four-year career, Karlaftis, who was given a four-year, $88 million extension last July, has tallied 163 tackles, 79 QB hits, 30.5 sacks, and 17 passes defended. One has to think his first trip to the Pro Bowl is coming soon.
1. Trent McDuffie, CB, 2022 (No. 21 overall)
Last and obviously not least, we come to Trent McDuffie, whom the Chiefs took at No. 21 overall in 2022 after making a trade with the New England Patriots.
A Third-Team All-American at Washington in 2021, McDuffie quickly established himself as one of the premier lockdown corners in the league. Following a solid rookie season, he earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2023 and followed up with a Second-Team selection in 2024. Oddly enough, he failed to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl in both of those years.
McDuffie took the slightest of steps back in 2025, but that didn't stop the Los Angeles Rams from trading four draft picks to acquire him last month, sending a first-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and a sixth-rounder in this year's draft, as well as a 2027 third-rounder, to the Chiefs in return. The Rams then quickly signed him to a four-year, $124 million extension, thus making McDuffie the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
So, again, fans are certainly hoping that the Chiefs can have the same kind of success with their first-rounders this year that they did in 2022.
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