Ranking the Chiefs' Three Best Draft Picks (and Two Worst)

By any measure, the Chiefs' 2024 draft class looks like a rousing success and one that can contribute both immediately and in the future. Kansas City filled needs while prioritizing rare athleticism, typically a strong combination when you have a coaching staff with as much experience in developing players as the Chiefs' does.

Brett Veach had already overseen a complementary roster with few holes, though he ensured the organization has flexibility while finding answers to the limited number of questions that remained.

Nonetheless, some picks were better than others and some deserve to be criticized. See below a look at the Chiefs' three best selections of the draft along with their two worst. We'll start with my favorite pick before moving down the line:

Chiefs' Three Best Draft Picks

1. Jaden Hicks - Safety, Washington State (4th Round)

Before the draft, I wrote that "the opportunity to land a player of that caliber in the fourth round doesn't come often and I'm crossing my fingers that Brett Veach will have a chance to snag the Washington State standout."

Well, the opportunity presented itself and Veach took advantage. Jaden Hicks is one of the best picks of the entire 2024 NFL Draft in any round, and he projects to be a long-term starter for the Chiefs as a perfect archetype for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. He reunites with former college teammate Jaylen Watson, giving Kansas City's secondary two young players already comfortable with each other as well.

In two years as a starter for the Cougars, Hicks compiled 155 tackles, 10 deflected passes, three interceptions and a pair of TDs while contributing on special teams. He's a dynamic, physical player who the Chiefs can line up all over the field.

Hicks was routinely called one of the most versatile and talented safeties in the draft class. For him to fall to pick No. 133 is an oversight from the rest of the NFL, but luckily Brett Veach was ready to take advantage of the league's mistake.

Outside of Xavier Worthy, Hicks is the rookie I'm most confident in making a sizeable impact in his first year. That being said, he's not the only great pick the Chiefs made, as you'll see on the following page.

2. Jared Wiley - Tight End, TCU (4th Round)

It's not fair to place Travis Kelce-sized expectations on Jared Wiley. There's a reason Kelce is the greatest tight end of all-time and no one can be expected to fill his shoes.

But if you were creating an ideal successor in a lab, Wiley is the exact kind of player you'd come up with. At 6'6", 249 LBs with long arms and a 4.62 40-yard dash, the TCU standout has a similar athletic profile to Kelce and his highlights look like you're watching a young Kelce rumble into the end zone.

For a fourth-round pick, the upside is ginormous. With Kelce around for at least two more years to teach Wiley the ropes, the sky is the limit.

Wiley had 47 catches for 520 yards and 11 TDs in 2023 at TCU, emerging as one of the nation's most effective pass-catching tight ends. He's a stout blocker too, and his versatility offensively will keep defenses guessing in Andy Reid's offense.

It'll take time for Wiley to develop and learn the nuances of the position, but he's got the best teacher imaginable in an offense tailor-made to his strengths. Within a few years, Wiley is going to become a fan-favorite.

3. Kamal Hadden - Cornerback, Tennessee (6th Round)

I wouldn't argue with anyone who'd want to highlight BYU OL KIngsley Suamataia here instead, as he's a bonafide first-round value that Kansas City poached at the end of the second. However, I'd be remiss not to mention how much I love the potential for Kamal Hadden in Steve Spagnuolo's defense.

Brett Veach and the Chiefs have made a killing finding mid-to-late-round cornerback prospects, from L'Jarius Sneed to Rashad Fenton to Joshua Williams to Chamarri Conner to Jaylen Watson. Hadden has the chance to be next in line alongside Jaden Hicks with excellent versatility and impressive advanced metrics.

As a bonus, he's essentially a Sneed clone from a physical standpoint.

Hadden has a long way to go before reaching Sneed's level, though I'm comfortable just assuming Spagnuolo will find a way to get tangible production out of Hadden within a couple of seasons.

He had the lowest passer rating when targeted of any qualified CB in the country in 2023, surrendering just 12 catches on 33 targets. Injury concerns caused him to fall in the draft, but he insists he's healthy.

If Hadden's injuries are behind him, this will be one of the best values in the draft. Now, let's take a look at the two worst picks starting on the next page.

Chiefs' Two Worst Draft Picks

1. Xavier Worthy - Wide Receiver, Texas (1st Round)

Let me be emphatically clear: I really like the Xavier Worthy pick and believe he'll improve the offense in a myriad of ways. His ability to stretch the defense will open up the middle of the field for Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice, and Dave Toub wasted no time in comparing the speedster to Tyreek Hill.

Thus, the "worst" framing here is relative. Brett Veach absolutely nailed this draft and it's hard to come up with any "bad" picks, but Worthy's draft capital and the fact that Kansas City traded up to get him place high expectations on the rookie. If he has a slow adjustment period, especially with Rashee Rice potentially suspended, it'll negatively impact the team more than if other picks need time to develop.

The biggest concern for Worthy is his size. At 165 LBs, he's in the first percentile in weight and doesn't have long arms. He'll be dependent on his speed and route-running to create separation, which should ultimately be fine given he's literally the fastest receive in NFL Combine history.

Brett Veach has taken grief in the past for selecting Mecole Hardman over DK Metcalf and Skyy Moore over George Pickens. With players like Keon Coleman, Xavier Legette and Adonai Mitchell on the board when the Chiefs drafted Worthy, he'll be judged against his fellow rookies quickly.

Should one of those big-bodied receivers get off to a fast start while Worthy struggles, many will wonder if Veach made another mistake.

I don't think that'll happen. I love the Worthy pick, but I understand the concerns some may have.

2. C.J. Hanson - Right Guard, Holy Cross (7th Round)

C.J. Hanson is an agile, experienced offensive lineman who shores up the Chiefs' depth and could start if Trey Smith gets injured. He allowed zero sacks on 321 pass-blocking snaps in 2023 and started 38 consecutive games for Holy Cross.

At the surface, I think Hanson was a great pick. However, he was the third offensive lineman that Kansas City drafted. With needs at other positions like running back, it's possible that Hanson was more of a luxury pick than a true need.

The Chiefs were quick to address running back after the draft, so it might not ultimately matter. Hanson's experience alone makes him worth a pick, though he doesn't have the clear path to playing time that Brett Veach's other picks do.

He's a seventh-round pick and I understand we're splitting hairs here. Hanson is a freaky athletic prospect with the football IQ to make an impact. The only question is whether or not he'll get the opportunity to.

Inevitably, there will be some late-round running back (Cody Schrader perhaps?) who has a big season and make Chiefs fans wonder if Veach should've spent the draft capital there instead.

Either way though, I'm thrilled with the outcome from this draft class and think we'll fondly remember it for years to come.

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