The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the teams that have seemed to figure out how to successfully navigate the NFL Draft. The draft itself is an exact science as a lot of factors go into a player’s success or not in the NFL. Environment, of which the Chiefs have created an excellent one, plays a big factor.
That is why it should come as no surprise that the Chiefs have unearthed some of the biggest draft steals in recent history. Over at ESPN, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid put together a piece of the biggest draft steals in the last 10 years but excluded first-round picks. Being selected about 15 picks later than their anticipated landing spot was part of the exercise as well and the drafts from 2013-2022 were used.
Landing in the No. 1 spot is all-world tight end Travis Kelce. He has cemented his legacy not only among Chiefs greats the last few years but as one of the most dominant tight ends that the NFL has ever seen.
Kelce is Patrick Mahomes’ No. 1 target and could rewrite some records when it’s all said and done. When you find a Hall of Fame talent anywhere in the draft you will be happy about it. When it comes in the second round, you feel even better about it.
The star tight end wasn’t even the latest that the Chiefs came away with a potential Hall of Fame player. That distinction would go to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who came in second place on this list.
Hill was selected in the fifth round, No. 165 and dropped in the draft because off the field issues that led to him being dismissed from Oklahoma State. Many analysts were unsure Hill would even be drafted, but the Chiefs took a chance on him and it paid off handsomely.
He is a true game-changer at the wide receiver position given his speed and athleticism. The size of a prototypical No. 1 receiver isn’t possessed by Hill, but he certainly performs like one.
Last but not least for the Chiefs is Chris Jones, who comes in at No. 12 on the list. Jones was selected No. 37 in the 2016 NFL Draft as Kansas City has found plenty of success making second-round picks.
He is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL and an integral part of the Chiefs’ game plan on that side of the ball. With at least 7.5 sacks in five consecutive seasons, Jones is a force to be reckoned with as a pass rusher.
