KC Chiefs: Brett Veach deserves consideration for Executive of the Year

After free agency was over, the team turned its attention to the draft.

While Brett Veach’s first draft class as the Chiefs general manager left a lot to be desired, his second draft class can only be seen as a success. Even though the Chiefs didn’t have a first round pick, they were able to get instant contributors as well as players with a ton of potential that could develop down the line.

The success of this draft class is mostly on the back of two second round picks, Juan Thornhill and Mecole Hardman. Hardman is a speedster who still needs to develop as a receiver, especially running routes, but is an instant offense type player that can be used in a plethora of ways to stretch a defense. Hardman scored seven touchdowns as a rookie, and had a staggering 20.7 yards per reception. He also made the All-Pro team as a returner.

Juan Thornhill may not have had any accolades next to his name like Hardman, but his impact was felt early on the field. Thornhill and Tyrann Mathieu were one of the better safety tandems in the league, and he helped turned a terrible Chiefs defense around to being a top ten unit.

Past Thornhill and Hardman, the Chiefs found a contributor on the defensive line in Khalen Saunders, and late round picks Rashad Fenton and Darwin Thompson have both made plays when given the chance to see the field. They are three exciting developmental prospects who can contribute if injuries crop up.

That is a solid class, and one that could be the foundation of good Chiefs football for years to come.