The 2022 draft class is regarded as one of the best draft hauls in recent history for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ten players were selected that year in Las Vegas, picks that validated the riskiest trade in team history, directly led to two Super Bowls, and rewrote the history of a franchise.
It was the draft class that turbocharged a dynasty. But four years later, that chapter is all but over. In less than a week, the Chiefs have gone from having eight players from the 2022 draft class on their roster to just one. Four have found new homes in the NFL, while three have become free agents.
On the eve of free agency, All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, a player whom the Chiefs traded up to select with their first pick in the 2022 draft, was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams.
Then, on the opening day of the legal tampering period, a further three exits were confirmed. Bryan Cook (2nd round, pick 62) signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, Joshua Williams (4th round, pick 135) joined the Tennessee Titans, and Jaylen Watson (7th round, pick 243) followed McDuffie to the Rams.
Another three players are officially on the open market now, too. Leo Chenal (3rd round, pick 103), Isiah Pacheco (7th round, pick 251), and Nazeeh Johnson (7th round, pick 259) are all free agents and can sign with any team.
With Skyy Moore (2nd round, pick 54, San Francisco 49ers) and Darian Kinnard (5th round, pick 145, Green Bay Packers) already on different teams, that leaves George Karlaftis as the sole 2022 Chiefs draftee still in Kansas City.
Round | Player | Pick # | Position | Current team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trent McDuffie | 21 | CB | Los Angeles Rams |
1 | George Karlaftis | 30 | DE | Kansas City Chiefs |
2 | Skyy Moore | 54 | WR | San Francisco 49ers |
2 | Bryan Cook | 62 | S | Cincinnati Bengals |
3 | Leon Chenal | 103 | LB | Free agent |
4 | Joshua Williams | 135 | CB | Tennessee Titans |
5 | Darian Kinnard | 145 | T | Green Bay Packers |
7 | Jaylen Watson | 243 | CB | Los Angeles Rams |
7 | Isaiah Pacheco | 251 | RB | Free agent |
7 | Nazeeh Johnson | 259 | S | Free agent |
There’s no doubt that the draft class as a whole was a massive success for the Chiefs. More than half of the players taken became reliable starters and played important roles in Kansas City winning two Super Bowls. So it is both surprising and unsurprising that only one player has a signed contract in K.C.
It’s surprising because, given the quality of the players, I would have thought the Chiefs would have done more to retain their services. All four of the players who have left K.C. for different teams in the last week, especially McDuffie, Cook, Williams, and Watson, make the Chiefs a better team with them on their roster.
But that is also part of the reason why it is unsurprising. The Chiefs drafted a bunch of talented players—players who would improve any team in the league—which is why other teams went out and spent big to get them. The Chiefs can’t pay everybody, and other teams simply offered more than Kansas City could afford or was willing to pay.
All ten players drafted by the Chiefs in 2022 are still in the league, and the fact that so many of that group were so highly sought after and quickly signed just proves that the Chiefs nailed the draft that year. In this instance, their leaving is a product of K.C.’s drafting success rather than draft failures—other teams want the players they picked.
There is still a chance that Pacheco, Chenal, and Johnson could return to Kansas City in some capacity, whether as free-agent re-signings or practice squad members. But for now, Karlaftis is the lone wolf remaining from the 2022 group.
It will be strange and even sad to see so many of the players who were an integral part of bringing multiple Super Bowl titles to Kansas City suiting up for different teams next year. But they will always be the draft class that turbocharged a dynasty, and for that, Chiefs Kingdom will be eternally grateful.