Best Kansas City Chiefs Draft Picks in History by Round

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Outside linebacker Derrick Thomas #58 of the Kansas City Chiefs – Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /

OLB-Derrick Thomas, 1st round 1989 (no. 3 overall), Alabama — What can I say to the current generation of Chiefs fans about Derrick Thomas? He’s a NFL Hall-of-Famer and Chiefs Icon.

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Others considered: Buck Buchanan 1963 and Tony Gonzalez 1997. Yeah there are many great Chiefs players picked in the 1st round, and Tony Gonzalez is the best TE in NFL history, but Derrick Thomas has to get the nod simply because what he did for the franchise.

Thomas was the 1st pick of the new Carl Peterson/Marty Schottenheimer regime in 1989–who came to Kansas City to a team that had made the playoffs once in 15 years. They were coming off the ludicrous Frank Ganz era, in which the team finished 4-11-1 the year before. Ganz was a special teams coach who had lied about his experiences as a fighter pilot to fire up the team.

Frank Ganz was a joke as a head coach.

It was Derrick Thomas, paired with DE Neil Smith, that made Arrowhead the most intimidating place to play in the NFL

Forget about Thomas’ career numbers. Yeah 126.5 sacks, 9 pro-bowls, 2 1st team all-pro teams are the resume of an NFL Hall-of-Famer, but what is most important is what he did to the franchise. Thomas was the heart and soul of a revitalized Kansas City defense that made the playoffs 7 out of the next 10 years and tied with San Francisco for most regular season wins in the ’90’s.

It was Derrick Thomas, paired with DE Neil Smith, that made Arrowhead the most intimidating place to play in the NFL.

Thomas tragically died on February 8, 2000, from a blood clot following a car accident that left him paralyzed. He will never be forgotten by the Red and Gold.

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