Senior Writer's High Claims Surrounding Chiefs Draft Class

The Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots were widely heralded as drafting the NFL’s best rookie classes last month, but there’s a reason the Chiefs have reached five of the past six Super Bowls. Kansas City continues to draft extremely well, especially on Days 2 and 3.

Senior NFL writer Jason Reid took it a step further on Tuesday when he said the Chiefs’ newest crop of rookies, not Cleveland or New England, will have the biggest impact on the NFL this season. That evaluation starts with the Day 1 selection, Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons.

“If general manager Brett Veach is right about Josh Simmons,” Reid wrote Tuesday, “the Chiefs got one of the best recent left tackle prospects with the last pick of the first round. That's called high value.

“Second-round defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott could be an impact rotational player immediately and a consistent starter eventually. Fourth-round wide receiver Jalen Royals is great after the catch and could be helpful early in the return game. Even seventh-round running back Brashard Smith can provide a boost to the running game.”

If Reid is correct, the Chiefs will have covered a lot of ground in a short time, considering that just three months ago, the Chiefs were licking some serious wounds after a 40-22 Super Bowl loss to the Eagles. Two months ago, Patrick Mahomes was called one of the league’s top losers in free agency after Kansas City signed Jaylon Moore to play left tackle.

Spring brings hope, however. Kansas City’s draft picks are reminding many of the 2022 class, a group that could match a 32-year-old NFL record this season by playing in four Super Bowls over its first four seasons.

And to register the biggest impact on the NFL, the Chiefs’ rookies need to play early. While Andy Reid said Simmons is expected to return to full health this summer following the knee injury that ended his final season at Ohio State, he might not see the field immediately. That’s OK, though, because Moore is available to mitigate the team’s left-tackle issues in the short term.

Norman-Lott and Royals, however, along with third-rounders Ashton Gillotte and Nohl Williams and fifth-rounder Jeffrey Bassa, could immediately boost the Chiefs. Steve Spagnuolo could carve out pass-rush packages for Norman-Lott and Gillotte, hoping to improve a defense that ranked 20th in sacks per pass attempt last season.

Williams led the nation in interceptions last season, so he has a nose for the ball. And Bassa moves from one winning culture – Oregon produced a program-record 10 draft selections – to another winning culture in Kansas City. Should anything happen to Nick Bolton, Bassa provides key insurance.

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