The Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft is in the books, which means it’s time to review the actual picks. The Chiefs made the most of their bounty of picks, securing yet another wide receiver while bolstering the defense with value after value.
In all, they obtained the following players:
- First Round, 21st overall: Trent McDuffie, CB
- First Round, 30th overall: George Karlaftis, DE
- Second Round, 54th overall: Skyy Moore, WR
- Second Round, 62nd overall: Bryan Cook, S
- Third Round, 103rd overall: Leo Chenal, LB
- Fourth Round, 135th overall: Joshua Williams, CB
- Fifth Round, 145th overall: Darian Kinnard, OT
- Seventh Round, 243rd overall: Jaylen Watson, CB
- Seventh Round, 251st overall: Isaih Pacheco, RB
- Seventh Round, 259th overall: Nazeeh Johnson, S
Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft Review Grade: 9.5/10
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Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft Review: New Faces, Same Results
The Best Player: Trent McDuffie
The Chiefs added several players that had no business being available at their respective draft slot, but Trent McDuffie was the best of the best. While he definitely has room to grow in man coverage, he was an elite zone corner at the college level, and that ability should translate well to Kansas City’s scheme. He should be a Day 1 starter that will go a long way in slowing down the elite passing attacks of the AFC West.
The Head-Scratcher: Nazeeh Johnson
It’s always a good thing when the 259th overall pick is the biggest head-scratcher in the draft class. None of Kansas City’s seventh-round picks are likely to make too big of an impact, but safety Nazeeh Johnson is truly fighting an uphill battle. Prior to his selection, the Chiefs had already signed fellow safeties Justin Reid and Deon Bush to new contracts while also adding Bryan Cook in the fourth round. All of the other seventh-round picks at least have a path to making the roster, but it’s hard to see any way for Johnson to reach that goal without a series of injuries.
The Surprise: George Karlaftis
It is not surprising that the Kansas City Chiefs wanted to take George Karlaftis with the 30th overall pick. It is surprising, however, that they were able to do this in the first place. In a world where getting to the quarterback has never been more important, you’re not supposed to be able to find guys like Karlaftis this late in the draft. Blessed with a wide variety of pass rushing moves, the Purdue product is already an advanced technician that can beat double teams and collapse the pocket on passing downs. While he lacks elite upside, he’s another Day 1 starter that will make life harder for opposing offenses.
The Steal: Skyy Moore
The wide receiver market has been crazy this offseason. Between massive contracts and big-name trades, the position has never been more valuable in the eyes of the NFL. Despite this, the Chiefs still found a way to select Skyy Moore late in the second round.
Skyy Moore is not a one-for-one replacement for Tyreek Hill, and he’ll never be as good as the former Chief. That being said, the Western Michigan product is an absolute menace out of the slot and is incredibly shifty in the short part of the field. This elusiveness combined with his innate ability to break tackles makes him an ideal fit for Andy Reid’s offense.
Skyy Moore is so nasty off the line pic.twitter.com/x5KD4aTHZk
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) April 30, 2022
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Training Camp: Skyy Moore Again
The Chiefs have a glaring need at wide receiver, and Skyy Moore was built to play football in this offense. Nobody schemes open targets better than Andy Reid, and Moore excels at making defenders look foolish in the open field. This combination of talent and fit is going to make reporters and fans alike swoon over Moore’s potential in this offense as he and Patrick Mahomes connect for big plays throughout the summer.
The Rest
The Chiefs invested a good amount of their later draft capital in defensive players that excel against the run but will need some time to develop against the pass. Bryan Cook is a safety/linebacker hybrid that has the size to stop the run and stick with tight ends in coverage. However, he lacks the speed to keep up with running backs or play over the top, so he’ll probably only be a situational player. Leo Chenal, meanwhile, is a traditional two-down linebacker that can blow up runs on the inside but cannot go sideline to sideline.
Joshua Williams was one of the hardest evaluations of any player in this draft. The cornerback looked phenomenal on tape, but his opposing level of competition was so low that you need to take everything he did with a grain of salt. If he can handle the massive spike in competition, then he could be a solid third cornerback.
Darian Kinnard played tackle in college, but he lacks the quickness to stick at the position at the NFL level. That’s not a huge issue, as he has the strength to be one of the best run-blocking guards in the league. His biggest issue is that Kentucky rarely threw the ball, and because of this, he is not a great pass protector. If he can improve in this area, he could be a starter in a year or two.
Jaylen Watson and Isaih Pacheco are the types of players you expect to find at the end of the seventh round. Neither guy stands that great of a shot at making the roster, and their role in the NFL will likely be on special teams.
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