By: John Ramirez
Some teams just have all the luck or the foresight to see what moves need to be played to put them in the best position to win. The Cowboys did it in the 90s by drafting Micheal Irvin, and Troy Aikman and eventually making a historic trade by sending Herschel Walker away to the Vikings for draft compensation. These picks would go on to select Daryl Johnson, Russel Maryland, Emmit Smith, and more. As we now look to our present time, we can say the team that was smart enough with their draft picks and planned accordingly is the Kansas City Chiefs. In the 2017 NFL Draft, Andy Reid and the Chiefs would go on to select Patrick Mahomes. A move that would alter their franchise trajectory and decimate the Buffalo Bills for years to come. A trade that they would soon regret. The Chiefs would trade 1st round picks with the Bills as well as send multiple future first-round picks to them.
I never understood why teams in the draft that year were not high on Mahomes. He showed tremendous talent, able to move around the pocket and make something happen out of nothing. Sadly, enough I believe Texas Tech was the thing that held him back from being truly in the spotlight. If he had the opportunity to receive offers from Texas, Oklahoma, USC, or any other major university. He would have been the number one draft pick. That year Kareem Hunt would also be selected in the third round. Now before I get ahead of myself Travis Kelce has already established himself as a pro bowler since the 2016 season. Along with Kelce’s successful 2016 season, the Chiefs would go on to select Tyreek ‘the Cheetah” Hill that year as well. Hill would go on to be one of the most electric receivers to date. The powerful D-tackle Chris Jones was also established on the roster before Mahomes’s arrival, and we all know what he has done. Eric Fisher was the left tackle who would go on to get a couple of pro bowls. Mitchell Schwartz would be a first-team all-pro selection in the 2018 season.
The 2018 draft would give solid players but nothing of notoriety, but the 2019 draft would give promise. Mecole Hardman and Juan Thornhill would be selected in the second round. The following year the college national champion from LSU Clyde-Edward Helaire would be the last pick in the first round and Will Gay Jr. from Mississippi State would be the second-round pick. The fourth-round pick would be used to select L’Jarius Sneed from Louisiana Tech. Nick Bolton would be selected from Missouri in the Second round in the 2021 draft. He would help anchor the defense and be a part of two Super Bowl victories. Following the Bolton pick Creed Humphrey from Oklahoma would be selected with the 63rd pick, solidifying the center position. The cornerback Trent Mcduffie from Washington and George Karlaftis from Purdue would be selected in the first round of the 2022 draft.
In the 2023 draft, the Chiefs would select the player who made the touchdown-winning catch this past season. Rashee Rice, the wide receiver how would develop himself into one of Patrick Mahomes’ most reliable targets. The wide receiving corps this season would be God-awful this season. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman, Sky Moore, Justin Watson, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling would each have under five hundred receiving yards.
Now as we fast forward to this year’s draft, what would the Chiefs do, would they sell off their draft capital to get themselves a promising receiver not named Marvin Harrison Jr. He was projected to be at least a top pick. Make moves to get them a solid receiver to try like Rome Odunze would be selected with the number 9 pick. Brian Thomas Jr from LSU was available until getting picked up with the 23rd pick by the Jaguars. The Chiefs would not move, they would stand tall and stoic with their 28th pick. Who else would they select other than Xavier Worthy. The speedster who would run a 4.21 40-yard time. A player who could blow the top off defenses. Make players miss in space and who is not afraid of collision. I have seen him lower his shoulder multiple times to pick up those few extra yards. He would be the player who would replace Tyreek Hill and bring back the speed that the Chiefs dearly missed, and all the Chiefs’ front office had to do was stand still. They collected their harvest without much labor needed.
As can all agree the Chiefs front office was willing to make the bold move to go out and get their face of the franchise much like the Cowboys were willing to make the move to sacrifice their best player to receive the draft capital to create a dynastic future. The choices may have been opposite sides of the coin and both teams were met with much scrutiny of the decisions they made. “Why waste the draft picks for Patrick Mahomes, when he could’ve fallen to them in later picks or rounds” some would say. Why would the Cowboys send off their best player in Walker to Minnesota, the player who was fundamentally the Cowboy’s offense? Two bold moves that would send the teams to greener pastures during their time and all this could only be accomplished by the coaches, management, and the front office. The people who would not falter and listen to the nay-sayers and who would choose to follow the vision of both hall of famer Jimmy Johnson and Andy Reid.
