NFL Draft Grades - Kansas City Chiefs
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Kansas City Chiefs Upcoming 2025 Draft Picks (8)
Walt's Mock Selections as of 4/23/2025 -View Current Mock Draft
Round: 1


The Chiefs kept rotating left tackles, but nothing worked. They were punished for it in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore, but in another move, they traded Joe Thuney, who was instrumental in getting Kansas City to the Super Bowl. He must be replaced. Josh Simmons is an athletic left tackle with plus strength, but is coming off a torn patellar tendon. *** OTHER 2025 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: *** 1. Josh Conerly/Donovan Jackson, OLs - Other offensive linemen the Chiefs could consider. 2. Trey Amos/Jahdae Barron/Maxwell Hairston/Shavon Revel, CB - Cornerback is in play for Kansas City. Pick change; previously Donovan Jackson, G
Round: 2


The Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore to potentially be their new left tackle, but they could also address the other side. Anthony Belton is a massive tackle, but has enough quickness and athleticism to remain on the edge.
Round: 3


Travis Kelce is nearing retirement, so the Chiefs need to find a young tight end. Mason Taylor is an athletic receiving tight end.
Round: 3


The Chiefs have issues covering downfield, so they'll need to spend an early pick on a cornerback. Justin Walley projects as a slot cornerback who can prevent separation.
Round: 4


Given how old Travis Kelce is, the Chiefs will need to add a young tight end. Mitchell Evans has potential, but he has a recent torn ACL.
Round: 7


The Chiefs should add a couple of cornerbacks to help with the depth at the extremely important position.
Round: 7


Chris Jones won't be around forever, so the Chiefs could obtain multiple defensive tackles.
Round: 7


The Chiefs will have to add a linebacker at some point to help with depth and special teams. Go to 2025 NFL Mock Draft by Charlie Campbell Go to 2026 NFL Mock Draft by Walter Cherepinsky
Past Grades and Selections
2024 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
C+ No one should be surprised that the Chiefs selected a receiver. It was already a need before Rashee Rice got into trouble. However, I don't see why the Chiefs needed to trade up for Worthy. There are so many solid receivers still available, and almost all of them would have been available at No. 32, so a trade like this doesn't seem very necessary.
A+ This is terrific value. I thought the Chiefs would consider Kingsley Suamataia with the 32nd-overall pick, yet they got him at No. 63! With receiver addressed, tackle became the team's great need, and Suamataia could be a big upgrade.
B A future replacement for Travis Kelce? Jared Wiley was a very productive and greatly sized player from TCU. Dr. Wiley makes sense late in the fourth round, so this is a decent pick all around.
A+ What a great value here for the Chiefs at the end of the fourth round. Jaden Hicks is a play-making safety prospect who easily could have gone in the second round. Adding more talent to the secondary makes sense, given all the great passing offenses in the AFC.
B I like Hunter Nourzad as a fourth-round prospect going in the fifth. The Chiefs have a terrific center, but they lost a key backup this offseason, so they needed an insurance policy. This is a good one.
C- Another running back doesn't make much sense, especially if it's not a great value. Isaiah Davis handled a big workload at South Dakota State, but the Jets should have been drafting wide receivers and tight ends for Aaron Rodgers.
2023 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B- No one should be shocked that the Chiefs selected a pass rusher in the first round. With Joe Burrow and Josh Allen present in the AFC, the Chiefs need to make sure they get as much pressure on the quarterback as possible, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a talented player. I had him in the second frame, but I don't think this is too much of a reach. That said, re-signing him and Geroge Karlaftis is going to be a headache in the future.
C I don't understand why these teams are trading up for receivers right now when there are so many talented players at the position still available. Marvin Mims isn't Jalin Hyatt, but he's super fast. This could mean that one of Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy will be traded.
C+ Jordan Battle is an average prospect who didn't make too many splash plays at Alabama. However, he's a smart safety who could fight for a starting job in the near future. I would have taken him a bit later.
B The Cardinals are getting an athletic offensive lineman to help Kyler Murray. The injured quarterback has to be happy about this pick. Jon Gaines has high upside, so this is a good pick in the middle of the fourth frame.
B The Vikings have a poor secondary, so they needed to add numerous defensive backs to help their woeful pass defense. Jay Ward moved from cornerback to safety at LSU, which proved to be a smooth transition. He's a sound tackler, and I think he should have gone in this range.
B- Adding to the pass rush makes sense, given the high-octane passing attacks in the AFC. B.J. Thompson was a highly productive pass rusher at Stephen F. Austin, but we'll have to see if he can perform better against far superior competition.
B
B The Bengals needed a punter, so they got one in the sixth round, which is fine. It was nice that they waited this long.
A- Moro Ojomo is a good prospect, but happens to be a tweener. I thought he would go earlier than this, as I had him in the fifth round, so this is solid value in the seventh round.
B- Nic Jones is a high-effort player with very limited upside. I'd rather have someone with more potential here, but Jones can be a very good special teams player.
2022 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A Grade
I imagine the Chiefs were shocked that Trent McDuffie was available. They didn't need to leap the Packers necessarily, but going ahead of Baltimore was essential. I love this pick, as Kansas City had to fill a huge hole at cornerback, and McDuffie is arguably the best player available after Jermaine Johnson. The Chiefs moved up to get McDuffie, but with 12 picks, they almost had to do so.
A Grade
I'm mad about the Bengals not getting George Karlaftis, but the Chiefs are making a great value pick. Karlaftis has the talent to be a top-15 pick. I'm not sure why he fell - the upside isn't huge, I suppose - but the Chiefs won't complain. He'll fill a huge need for Kansas City's poor edge rush.
A Grade
I saw that some had Skyy Moore in the first round. That was a bit rich to me, save for one update when I was stuck on Tennessee's pick, but Moore seemed destined to go in the top half of the second round. This is good value for him, and he obviously fills a need vacated by Tyreek Hill in the trade with Miami. I love this pick, especially because the Chiefs traded down to take Moore.
C Grade
I'm not a huge fan of this pick. Bryan Cook is an instinctive safety, so he should be able to play right away and fill in for Tyrann Mathieu, but I think this is a bit rich for him. I had him late three/early four. This isn't a huge reach, but the Chiefs could have done better.
B Grade
Leo Chenal makes sense at the end of the third round. He's a two-down run defender who will struggle in coverage, but the Chiefs won't have to put him in that situation. Kansas City's run defense should improve with Chenal No. 3 on the field.
A Grade
I'm a big fan of this pick for the Chiefs. They really needed to shore up their ailing secondary, so another defensive back pick makes sense. Joshua Williams is someone I had mocked in the third round on some occasions, so I love this value.
A+ Grade
Two A+ grades to begin Round 5! Darian Kinnard has good athleticism for a big offensive lineman, so I thought he'd go in the third round. This is great value, though it's worth noting that there are injury concerns. Still, there's barely any risk in Round 5.
B Grade
The Packers were looking for a monstrous nose tackle to help them stop the run, and Jonathan Ford will definitely help in that regard. He makes sense at this selection in the seventh frame.
2021 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B Grade
Nick Bolton is an instinctive linebacker, but has some limitations in coverage. Still, this is a fine pick, as I've had Bolton slated around this area for most of the pre-draft process. He could fill a huge need in Kansas City's poor linebacking corps.
A Grade
Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, yet he couldn't win behind his dreadful offensive line last year. The Chiefs needed to make wholesale changes up front. They added talent at tackle and guard, but center remained a weakness - until now. I had Creed Humphrey a bit earlier than this spot, so I love this pick.
B Grade
The Chiefs lost Sammy Watkins in free agency, so they'll need a receiver to compete with the disappointing Mecole Hardman. Cornell Powell is someone who bounced around Day 3 of my mock draft updates, so the value is fine.
B+ Grade
Jonathan Marshall is an explosive athlete for a player at his position. The Jets needed some defensive tackle depth, and they're getting a high-upside player in Round 6, which is par for the course of Joe Douglas' drafting.