How Well Did Chiefs 2024 Rookies Perform in First Year?

Free agency has taken the National Football League world by storm, with several big names already off the board, it reminds players what the hard work from day one can get you. While the Kansas City Chiefs have been able to retain certain free agents, its inevitable that some go.

One day, several new Chiefs will eventually hit free agency, whether they are third year players or have a decade long experience. That being said, the Chiefs have a slew of young players that they won't have to worry about going far for quite some time, that group being the 2024 Chiefs draft class.

Through all the chaos that is free agency, its important to know where most of these players started: getting drafted. The 2024 draft class was filled with studs, and several landed in Kansas City. Lets take a look back on the Chiefs draft class from 2024 and how they performed throughout their first season in the league.

Round 1, Pick 28: WR Xavier Worthy

The Chiefs first round pick, Xavier Worthy, put together a respectable season making the transition from college ball to the pros. Worthy totaled over 600 receiving yards in 59 receptions, while competing in a full 17 game season.

Worthy was especially electric on the Chiefs playoff run, bringing it through each round. His first Super Bowl went well also, scoring two touchdowns for the Chiefs and hauling in over 150 receiving yards. Building around Worthy with a handful of veterans or up and coming stars could easily give the Chiefs the upper hand when looking at the offenses among the NFL.

Round 2, Pick 64: OT Kingsley Suamataia

The Chiefs brought in Kingsley Suamataia out of BYU to add a well needed protection for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Throughout the season, Suamataia played in 195 offensive snaps played, allowing three quarterback sacks while recording three penalties.

Unfortunately for Suamataia, according to PFF.com, he earned an overall player grade of 39.4, which according to the PFF grading scale is well below poor. Potentially in his sophomore campaign, Suamataia will be able to put together a stronger season among offensive tackles in the league.

Round 4, Pick 131: TE Jared Wiley

The Chiefs selected tight end Jared Wiley out of Texas Christian University. Wiley was 23 throughout his first season before turning 24 around the midway point. The Chiefs have a strong depth in tight end, being led by Travis Kelce followed by Noah Gray.

In seven games last season, Wiley put up only one receiving yard in one target, which went for seven yards. After tearing his ACL in practice, Wiley was out rehabing for the long haul. In 2025, hopefully Wiley gets a chance to shine his way to more than a single reception.

Round 4, Pick 133: DB Jaden Hicks

The Chiefs selected safety Jaden Hicks from Washington State for their second fourth round draft pick. The first defensive pick up for the draft, Hicks was utilized strongly to land himself in several snaps throughout the season. Playing in 17 games, Hicks recorded 29 total tackles, hauled in three interceptions and had five passes defended.

The Chiefs defense was put to work throughout the entire year, fighting their way to earning the team slim victories. After a strong season in the secondary, Hicks has set his ceiling higher than what was originally thought, he just needs time to shine in 25.

Round 5, Pick 159: OL Hunter Nourzad

The fifth round pick for the Chiefs was OL turned center Hunter Nourzad from Penn State. His skillset very much aided the Chiefs throughout the season. According to PFF.com, Nourzad was an average center in the NFL, earning a 67.8 grade, which placed him 15th compared to other centers.

Year two for Nourzad will likely reflect his success in year one, especially if the Chiefs possess a Top 10 offense.

Round 6, Pick 211: CB Kamal Hadden

This one can be kept short and sweet. The Chiefs selected cornerback Kamal Hadden in the sixth round out of Tennessee, but his stint with the franchise did not last long. Hadden was released by the team after training camp. He is now apart of the Green Bay Packers organization.

Round 7, Pick 248: OG C.J. Hanson

The Chiefs took guard C.J. Hanson with their seventh round pick, and his first season did not go very well. The former seventh rounder was ranked well below average by PFF.com, giving him a 48.6 grade. Also according to PFF, Hanson ranked 131/135 among guards in the NFL.

The upside to Hanson's game was that he played very confidently when it came to the run game, as he ranked 24th out of the 115 gaurds in that category according to PFF. He will likley need major improvements in 2025 if he wants to stick around with the franchise long term.