Kansas City Chiefs: Top five draft picks of the last decade

NUMBER TWO

Travis Kelce, Tight End, Round 3, Pick 63, Cincinnati, 2013

Before he became the star of Catching Kelce, Travis Kelce was just the little brother of long-time Eagles center Jason Kelce. After being drafted by the Chiefs, Kelce played in all but one game his rookie season due to a knee injury.

But when he returned, he returned strong, hauling in 67 passes for 862 yards and five touchdowns in 2014. Solid numbers for a tight end, that’s Kelce’s worst statistical season of his five-year career (though he did slip to a mere four touchdown grabs in 2016).

With Alex Smith in Kansas City, Kelce was the team’s go-to target, leading the team in receiving yards in 2014 and 2016.

2018 marked the third straight season in which he accumulated more than 1,000 yards receiving, and he set career highs in catches (103), yards (1,336, the most ever by a tight end in a single season for about an hour), and touchdown receptions (10). That all happened with a first-year starter at quarterback.

Kelce’s made four consecutive Pro Bowls while being named All-Pro twice, in 2016 and 2018. He’s under contract for another three seasons after signing a reasonable extension in January of 2016.

The fifth tight end taken in the 2013 draft, he’s having the best career of all 16 taken that season. He’s battling San Francisco’s George Kittle and New England’s Rob Gronkowski for the label “best tight in football.”

Based upon his overall numbers last season, Kelce’s leading that battle.