Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has a well-earned reputation for being a phenomenal talent evaluator, having routinely found hidden gems and future stars in the NFL Draft.
However, he's had his fair share of misses as well. His inaugural first-round pick was Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a mistake that fans haven't forgotten, and now another recent first-rounder is seemingly earning the dreaded "bust" title as well.
Entering his third season, defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah has shown nothing to suggest he deserved to be the 31st pick in 2023. Now that the Chiefs have re-signed both Charles Omenihu and Mike Pennel, it's hard to see the former Kansas State star earning a larger role on the field. At this point, it's clear that Veach whiffed on this pick.
Unless he beats one of those guys out on the depth chart, Anudike-Uzomah likely won't see his fifth-year option picked up after 2025.
The Chiefs want a big step from DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah and he’s ready to take that leap. 🔥@heykayadams | @fanudike pic.twitter.com/sfOLhpfTi2
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 3, 2025
Chiefs DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah Must Improve to Avoid "Bust" Label
A local standout from Lee's Summit High School just outside of Kansas City, Anudike-Uzomah seemed like a slam-dunk selection given his local ties. Things haven't materialized how anyone hoped though, and this is now a massively important offseason for the 23-year-old.
So far in his career, Anudike-Uzomah has started just three games, accumulating 41 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. The promise is certainly there, yet a crowded rotation has prevented him from getting comfortable at the professional level. He ranked 124th out of 211 qualified defensive ends at Pro Football Focus, though he played only 31% of the defensive snaps in 2024.
For someone drafted as highly as he was, that's unacceptable. Omenihu, Pennel, and George Karlaftis are all expected to be ahead of him, further complicating matters. Having a plethora of quality edge rushers is a good problem to have, yet fans can't ignore the opportunity cost of taking a mediocre backup at that stage in the draft.
With the 2025 edition right around the corner, Veach needs to identify someone who can immediately contribute. At the least, it shouldn't take this long for a first-round pick to consistently get on the field.
Here's hoping Anudike-Uzomah takes advantage of the opportunity and proves the doubters wrong. If he can, Kansas City's defense can once again be among the NFL's elite.