Chiefs

Why the Kansas City Chiefs tried to play the trade-up game in the 2023 NFL Draft | Podcast

Football fans await the 55th pick of the NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs during the second round of the draft outside of Union Station on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Kansas City.
Football fans await the 55th pick of the NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs during the second round of the draft outside of Union Station on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Kansas City. nwagner@kcstar.com

The Chiefs looked to trade up in the first round of recent NFL Draft. But with no takers, they held onto pick No. 31 and selected Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who grew up in Lee’s Summit.

Then the trading started.

The next three players taken by the Chiefs were obtained in move-up fashion, with SMU wide recevier Rashee Rice in the second round, Oklahoma tackle Wanya Morris in the third and Virginia Tech safety Chammari Conner in the fourth.

On today’s episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, general manager Brett Veach explains why the Chiefs traded draft picks to move up in each round. The Chiefs started the draft with 10 selections and finished with seven.

After a break, you’ll hear from Kansas City Sports Commission president Kathy Nelson on the massive undertaking of executing the NFL Draft in Kansas City. She said the event, the largest sports-related spectator gathering in the city’s history, “exceeded expectations.”

Story links:

NFL Draft in Kansas City ‘exceeded our expectations,’ says KC Sports Commission president

Why did Chiefs trade up in Rounds 2-4 of NFL Draft? Brett Veach gave this main reason

This story was originally published May 2, 2023 at 11:47 AM.

Blair Kerkhoff
The Kansas City Star
Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989. He was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
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