Ranking the Chiefs Last 10 First-Round Picks, Worst to Best
By Joe Summers
The 2024 NFL Draft is just a few weeks away and the Chiefs have plenty of options with the No. 32 overall pick. Brett Veach and his staff have done a fantastic job identifying talent over the last few years, and Kansas City has a chance to re-solidify the core of the dynasty.
Kansas City has hit home runs in the first round, like trading up for three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes back in 2017, though there have been some misses as well (Hello, Jon Baldwin!).
We're going to discuss each of the Chiefs' last 10 first-round draft picks and rank them from worst to best. Note that this list is just first-round picks, so second-round guys like Chris Jones, Nick Bolton and Creed Humphrey won't be on it. Provided the Chiefs don't trade out of their pick, where will this year's selection rank among the others?
Ranking the Chiefs Last 10 First-Round Picks
10. Jonathan Baldwin, WR - 2011
This one should come as no surprise.
Baldwin is the last WR the Chiefs took in the first round, and I wonder if the ghost of failed draft picks past has somehow scared the organization off from even risking the same mistake. He lasted just two years in Kansas City, getting traded to San Francisco for A.J. Jenkins, but was out of the NFL after just seven games with the 49ers.
The No. 26 overall pick out of Pittsburgh had just 41 catches for 579 yards and two TDs with the Chiefs, being remembered as a cautionary tale throughout the fanbase of how quickly first-round picks can be proven a bust.
Action shot of diving catch turned in by @Jon_Baldwin during #Chiefs 1st OTA practice pic.twitter.com/U92SpcaO
— Josh Looney (@JoshLooney) May 21, 2012
It was not a widely panned pick at the time. Baldwin had 2,337 receiving yards and 16 TDs over three seasons at Pittsburgh, averaging 18.3 yards per catch.
This draft wasn't a complete loss for the Chiefs though, as the organization found Justin Houston in the third round, one of the defining defensive players of the decade. That being said, let's hope Baldwin remains the worst draft pick of the last 10 years.
Before we continue with the list, there's still time to claim FanDuel Sportsbook's $200 bonus for any $5 winning bet! Just sign up, deposit at least $10 and bet $5 or more with your first wager, then you'll receive an extra $200 in bonus bets if you win. Even if you're backing a huge favorite, you'll still get the bonus. Click here to sign up for FanDuel now!