Chiefs select unexpected hometown talent on Day 1
For Kansas City native Felix-Anudike Uzomah, there is no place like home.
His hometown team, the Chiefs, selected him at No. 31 overall during the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. Continuing that KC flavor, Kansas City is also playing host to the draft this year.
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound edge rusher was an unexpected choice, as he had not been viewed as a probable first-round selection heading into Thursday's draft action. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, for instance, projected Anudike-Uzomah as a second-round pick.
"A hard-charging edge prospect Anudike-Uzomah has good strength and a long frame that will continue to fill out," wrote Zierlein. "His urgency leads to playmaking opportunities, but he will need to harness that energy and play with better control to become a more efficient defender."
So did the Chiefs reach with this one?
Although Anudike-Uzomah was not a highly-touted prospect, he was productive at the college level, meaning there should be plenty to work with once he joins the team in earnest.
During his final season in Manhattan, Kansas, the 21-year-old pass-rusher recorded 8.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 14 starts. His efforts earned him 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and third-team All-American honors.
The Chiefs were looking to fortify their pass-rush after releasing former Pro Bowl DE Frank Clark earlier in the spring. While George Karaliftis III and Charles Omenihu are solid players, more might be needed for Kansas City to make another Super Bowl run.
Several top edge prospects, such as Lukas Van Ness (Packers) and Will McDonald IV (Jets), were already off the board. So Kansas City went with the next best option.
Anduike-Uzomah could quickly develop under the Chiefs' excellent coaching staff, which is led by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
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