On Tuesday, CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco re-evaluated the 2022 NFL Draft. At that time, he considered the Kansas City Chiefs made remarkable selections. Now, he believes they outdid themselves even more.
Kansas City Chiefs
2022 Grade: AThe Lowdown: With 10 picks in the draft, only one player isn't still part of the team heading into 2025, and five of them are clear starters. The Chiefs had two first-round picks due to the Tyreek Hill trade with Miami, selecting corner Trent McDuffie and edge rusher George Karlaftis. McDuffie has emerged as one of the league's top corners, while Karlaftis has proven to be an effective edge defender. The other starting players acquired were safety Bryan Cook (second round), linebacker Leo Chenal (third round), and running back Isiah Pacheco (seventh round). Additionally, they picked up backup talent, including second-round receiver Skyy Moore and corners Joshua Williams (fourth round), Jaylen Watson (seventh round), and Nazeeh Johnson (seventh round). All three corners have started games for the Chiefs and will compete for playing time this year. They truly excelled in this draft.
How I Evaluated It: I was fond of the choices of Karlaftis and McDuffie, but wasn’t sold on the Chenal pick. I was mistaken about Chenal. I also liked the prospects of Moore and Cook, though Moore hasn't quite found his footing yet.
New Grade: A+
Thoughts on the Re-Evaluation
I share sentiments with many fans: revisiting a draft — the dreaded “re-draft” — often seems pointless.
However, there’s nothing inappropriate about reviewing a draft a few years later; it’s often the only way to truly assess their success.
The dilemma arises when fans instantly want to gauge their favorite team's performance — leading everyone to jump on the draft grade bandwagon right away.
Prisco is no exception. Yet, unlike many analysts, he embraces the chance to revisit his assessments from previous drafts. Every spring, he reviews his evaluations from the NFL Draft three years prior. This approach garners my respect, as it consistently reveals where he was spot on and where he missed the mark.
In the realm of the Chiefs, Prisco was far from alone in 2022. Numerous analysts believed general manager Brett Veach performed brilliantly — and if you asked them today, they'd likely feel that Veach's selections surpassed their initial expectations.
I’ve encountered several individuals who remain indifferent about Veach. At times, I wonder if they’ve never moved past the Breeland Speaks selection in 2018 — and yes, that one did not pan out well.
I don’t make claims of Veach being infallible. However, anyone who maintains a roster with nine of ten drafted players after two seasons must be doing a considerable amount right. Most general managers would be lucky to retain that many just a year later.
So perhaps — just perhaps — it’s time to move beyond the Speaks pick.
By the way... can you name the lone player from the 2022 class who is no longer with the team?
That would be Kentucky tackle Darian Kinnard, a fourth-round draft choice who saw action in only three games during his rookie season, making appearances in just one game. In 2023, he was placed on the Kansas City practice squad. The following February, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a reserve/future deal, where he managed to make their roster and appeared in two games in 2024.
Though Kinnard hasn't yet made a significant impact, he joined the ranks of only the second player in history to earn a Super Bowl ring across three consecutive seasons. The first was linebacker Ken Norton Jr., who won Supers with the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 before clinching another with the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. Unlike Kinnard, Norton was a starter throughout all three seasons. However, like Kinnard, Norton’s new team triumphed over his former squad in the following year’s postseason — specifically in the NFC Championship.