The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 with seven picks over the three-day draft.
The Chiefs were set to pick last in the first round, but general manager Brett Veach has made it no secret that he would like to move up for a difference-making player as the team sets its sights on a third straight Super Bowl championship.
“Hopefully, we can find a trading partner,” Veach said last week.
It took awhile, but they did on Thursday night. The Chiefs traded up four spots with the Buffalo Bills and selected lightning-fast Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 pick.
The Chiefs added Marquise Brown to their wide receiver room during the offseason, but they clearly were eager to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes another deep threat. The uncertain future of second-year receiver Rashee Rice obviously played a role.
On Friday, the Chiefs traded up one spot with the San Francisco 49ers to fill their biggest need. They selected BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia with the No. 63 pick.
The Chiefs also will look to fortify their defensive line around All-Pro tackle Chris Jones and to replace cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, whom they traded to the Tennessee Titans.
GO DEEPER
How BYU bond with Andy Reid helped Kingsley Suamataia land with the Chiefs
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Chiefs pick.
Round 1
No. 28 (from Bills): Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
How he fits
This feels like a very good fit for Kansas City’s offense and for Mahomes in general, as Worthy is very dynamic with the ball in his hands. However, he’s also very small at just 165 pounds. Whether or not he’ll be able to hold up with a high catch volume deep into a season is a fair question. He can be inconsistent with his hands and his play strength will limit some of what he can do at the next level. It’s fair to wonder if Worthy was a first-rounder in this draft, especially with some of the talent on the board. But it’s also tough to hate the fit. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“Worthy doesn’t have ideal size, toughness or play strength, but his dynamic speed and playmaking instincts make him a threat as both a wide receiver and return man. He doesn’t have the body of work of DeSean Jackson, but he teases similar flashes.”
Nate Taylor’s analysis
Kansas City Chiefs draft Xavier Worthy: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Nick Baumgardner’s grade: B
Round 1 grades for all 32 picks
Round 2
No. 63 (from 49ers): Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
How he fits
Suamataia likely will compete for the starting left tackle role with Wanya Morris, the team’s third-round pick last year. Landing a player to protect Mahomes’ blind side was the Chiefs’ most obvious need entering the draft. Suamataia has the physical skills to secure a long-term starting spot by midseason or in 2025.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
“Overall, Suamataia is still very young and lacks refinement in several areas, but his blend of size, mobility and core power are the foundation of a scheme-diverse NFL starter. He will require a patient coaching staff who can ease his transition to the pro level.”
Nate Taylor’s analysis
Kansas City Chiefs draft Kingsley Suamataia: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Scott Dochterman’s grade: B-plus
Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman rate Rounds 2-3
GO DEEPER
Chiefs excited to see what Xavier Worthy can do with Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid
Round 4
No. 131
No. 133 (from Bills)
Round 5
No. 159 (from Cowboys)
Round 6
No. 211 (from 49ers)
Round 7
No. 48 (from Bills)
(Photo of Kingsley Suamataia: Rob Gray / USA Today)
