Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has built a two-time Super Bowl champion through the draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted their way to success over the past decade. Obviously, nabbing Patrick Mahomes II at quarterback was integral, but head coach Andy Reid’s “draft steals” since taking over in KC might stand out even more.
During a June 28 article on ESPN+, draft experts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid ranked the top 50 draft steals of the last 10 years and the Chiefs organization accounted for three of the top 12. Even better, two of Kansas City’s three sleeper prospects were the first two names on the list.
Those franchise-altering draft decisions were tight end Travis Kelce (No. 63 overall in 2013), wide receiver Tyreek Hill (No. 165 overall in 2016) and defensive lineman Chris Jones (No. 37 overall in 2016). Kelce and Hill placed first and second on Miller and Reid’s ranking, respectively, while Jones came in at No. 12.
If you’re wondering where Mahomes was on this list, he didn’t fit the requirements of a “draft steal” in the eyes of the ESPN analysts — more on that below.
Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill & Chris Jones Represent Chiefs in NFL Draft Ranking
Miller and Reid’s rules in determining this group of 50 read as follows: “First-rounders weren’t included, even if they were taken late on Day 1. Undrafted free agents were also excluded since the list would skew in that direction. To qualify, a player must have been drafted at least 15 spots — roughly half a round — later than he should have been, and that’s just the floor for the exercise.”
The eligible time period did not include 2023, spanning from 2013 through 2022.
Having said all of that, Kelce and Hill were shoe-ins for this ranking.
“When his career is over, we might be talking about Kelce as the greatest tight end of all time,” Miller wrote for the superstar TE and the top draft steal of the past decade. “After all, he has already proven himself as a dynamic, reliable No. 1 receiving option on a Super Bowl-winning team, and he has numbers to stack up with the best of the best.”
“That’s pretty good for a late-Round 2 pick who slipped in the draft because of a suspension at Cincinnati,” he added, concluding that “Kelce’s all-around game and presence as the Chiefs’ No. 1 target put him right at the top of the list here.”
Jordan Reid took care of Hill’s blurb, stating: “Hill played both running back and receiver in college and showcased an explosive skill set. But he slid in the 2016 draft after he was arrested and accused of punching and choking his pregnant girlfriend.”
“Oklahoma State dismissed him, and he wasn’t even invited to the combine after heading to West Alabama,” Reid went on. “Many scouts thought he might go undrafted, but Kansas City ultimately took him in the fifth round.”
“On the field, Hill scored 12 times as a rookie with the Chiefs and eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in Year 2,” he noted, finishing: “Now with the [Miami] Dolphins, Hill continues to stress opponent defenses from any formational alignment. He can alter the outcome of a game in a single play.”
Finally, Jones was named the 12th best draft steal of the past decade. Jordan Reid explained why.
“Jones became a key part of the Chiefs’ defense during his superb third season, as an active and disruptive interior presence,” he voiced. “He posted 15.5 sacks that season and has recorded at least 7.5 every year since. With a towering 6-foot-6 build, strong hands and a relentless hunger to make life difficult for opposing passers, Jones has positioned himself as one of the best interior defenders in the league despite lasting until the second round back in 2016.”
2 Chiefs Super Bowl Champions Make Top-50 Ranking Despite Being Drafted by Different NFL Franchises
Inside Miller and Reid’s top 50 were two more Chiefs champions — safety Tyrann Mathieu and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Neither were drafted by KC, however, despite winning a ring with the franchise.
Mathieu, the Arizona Cardinals’ No. 69 selection in 2013, ranked 16th overall according to the two experts.
“A highly decorated prospect out of LSU, Mathieu slipped to the third round of the 2013 draft because of repeat violations of the Tigers’ substance abuse policy, which resulted in him being dismissed from the team in 2012,” Reid detailed. “But as a pro? Mathieu was a great addition for the Cardinals in the third round and later became a key part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning defense in 2019.”
Then there was the Baltimore Ravens’ 83rd overall selection in 2018, Brown, who ranked as the 40th best draft steal since 2013.
“A disastrous combine performance that included a 5.85-second 40-yard dash time and 19.5-inch vertical jump meant Brown would be a significant outlier if he went on to have success in the NFL,” Reid examined once again. “But the 6-8 tackle landed in a perfect spot and became a reliable bookend for the Ravens before getting traded to the Chiefs (and then signing with the [Cincinnati] Bengals this offseason).”
Looking back on the draft history — as well as the timely acquisitions like Mathieu and Brown — it’s no surprise that KC has had so much success under Andy Reid.
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