Kansas City Chiefs seek to remain flexible in Rounds 2-3 of the 2022 NFL Draft
Defense proved the theme of Thursday night for the Chiefs in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
After packaging a trade, which sent the Nos. 29, 94 and 121 picks to the New England Patriots to move up to pick No. 21, the Chiefs grabbed cornerback Trent McDuffie. Then, the Chiefs stayed put at No. 30 and selected defensive end George Karlaftis.
An impressive two-player haul because the selections filled specific needs.
“It was very beneficial (Thursday night) to get two players who were highly ranked on our board at positions of need,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said after the first round.
The Chiefs aren’t done adding talent to the roster, of course.
With the first round of the draft in the books, the Chiefs turn their attention Friday night to the second round (picks No. 50 and 62) and third round (pick No. 103) of the NFL’s annual selection process.
And for Veach, there is a balancing act of staying within the boundaries of the team’s draft board while addressing wants versus needs with the best player available.
“That allows us to continue to adhere to that mindset of, ‘Hey, listen, if it’s a wideout, if it’s a lineman, if it’s another corner, we need them all,’” Veach said. “Other than quarterback, we need somebody at some position right across the board.
“That allows for more flexibility now to continue to stick to that mindset.”
The Chiefs have multiple options to consider Friday night in the next two rounds.
Adding a wide receiver would make sense at pick No. 50, and the likes of Georgia’s George Pickens and Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore could entice the Chiefs to send in the draft card if either player is available.
The Chiefs could also utilize their first pick Friday night to bolster the defensive front four, offensive tackle and defensive back position groups. Should the Chiefs decide to return to the defensive line with pick No. 50, Houston’s Logan Hall or South Carolina’s Kingsley Enagbare might be on the board.
Ultimately, the Chiefs remain in good position to acquire at least three blue-chip prospects within the first 103 selections of the 2022 NFL Draft without having to make a splash trade.
“We have a lot of picks and we’re mindful of that,” Veach said. “I think we’re just going to do our best to stay true to our board and the guys who are there.
“You always want to adhere to that mindset of staying to that board and taking the best players.”
Did you know
Thursday night marked just the third time in six drafts that the Chiefs made a selection in the first round.
The team’s previous first-round picks are quarterback Patrick Mahomes (10th overall) in 2017 and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (32nd overall) in 2020.
The Chiefs previously sat out the opening round of the draft in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Did you know, take II
Karlaftis is the first defensive lineman selected by the Chiefs in the first round since defensive tackle Dontari Poe was selected 11th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Draft night quotes
• “I mean, Herbie, he’s ready to take you out to dinner right now. He’s fired up.” – Chiefs coach Andy Reid joked on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s reaction to the two defensive players selected in the first round.
• “As much as we love Thursday, our staff loves Friday and Saturday even more. This is when we have a lot of fun the next few days and we’re looking forward to it.” – Veach said on the next two days of the NFL draft.
Chiefs’ remaining NFL Draft picks
- Round 2 (50th overall)
- Round 2 (62nd)
- Round 3 (103rd)
- Round 4 (135th)
- Round 7 (233rd)
- Round 7 (243rd)
- Round 7 (251st)
- Round 7 (259th)
When and how to watch the NFL Draft
Friday’s coverage of rounds 2 and 3 of the draft starts at 6 p.m. Central time on ABC (KMBC, Ch. 9 in Kansas City), ESPN and NFL Network. Streams are available on the ESPN app and NFL Network website.
The final rounds (4 through 7) start at 11 a.m. Central time Saturday on the same channels.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 10:49 AM.
