Chiefs Post Draft Awards For 2021

This may end up going down as one of the best draft classes in Kansas City Chiefs history, and not just in the era of Brett Veach. Both Creed Humphrey and Nick Bolton should become starters at the beginning of the season, and every pick will get an opportunity to make an impact this year. Even 6th round pick Trey Smith should make his presence felt before 2022, so that’s who we’ll begin with.

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Trey Smith was considered a top 100 prospect and one of the top players at the Offensive Guard position. However, after teams found out that he had medical concerns, in a year when many teams were unlikely to take a player with any issues, Smith fell to the 6th round where K.C. snapped him up at #226. It turns out that Smith had blood clots in his lungs, but Tim Terry, the Chiefs director of pro personnel, said,

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“As far as why he was still on the board, I’ll leave that to the other teams, but we had the most confidence in Rick Burkholder and Dr. Mike Monaco,. They did a lot of research, a lot of work, did all the due diligence in searching out everything from his medical history standpoint, and we feel really comfortable and confident that we’re getting a good young man, but a good young football player that’s going to come into our building and help us to elevate the level of competition. We rated him really high. He’s a highly accomplished young man, has done almost everything you can possibly do in the SEC, which is a highly competitive division, so we’re excited. I can’t speak to any other teams, why they didn’t pick him, but we’re glad we got him in our building and we’re looking forward to growing with him.”

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With Smith’s medical issues resolved and managed, it looks like the Chiefs got the steal of all steals, and I won’t be surprised to see Trey Smith taking over at Right Guard in the next two seasons. Not only that but, he has Pro Bowl upside.

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I understand that Trey Smith likes pancakes more than I do. It’s just a rumor but, Trey Smith pancakes so many DEs that he legally changed his name to IHOP:

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This draft class of tight ends was not that deep and with the Chiefs other needs, Gray simply passed by as a possibility for the Chiefs to draft. However, if there was any question that the Chiefs really wanted Gray, or a tight end, they traded up to make sure they could get him. Here’s Andy Reid announcing the selection of Noah Gray on ESPN, as well as their breakdown of his value:

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Gray may be the surprise pick, but he will also allow Andy Reid to return to the days when he consistently ran two tight end sets and forced defenses to honor a second receiving threat between the harsh marks. Noah Gray can provide that and although he’s not as big as some other blocking tight ends, he can deliver better blocking than most of the Chiefs wideouts.

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Others may not see the value in this pick, but now that Veach has brought Noah Gray to town, I can see that he’ll be a real asset.

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Nick Bolton may be smallish for a linebacker at 6-foot-0 and 232, but think, Tyrann Mathieu, and his superior play should put anyone’s doubt to rest as to whether or not a smaller defensive player can have a bigger impact. And boy or boy, does Bolton bring the bolts of lightning when he hits! Kyle Crabbs at The Draft Network uses these words to describe Bolton:

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“impact starter”… “jarring hits to ball carriers”… “confidence in traffic”… “the leader and enforcer of the Tigers’ defense”… “prowess in the passing game shines in zone coverage”… “make receivers think twice about coming over the middle”… [and]… “Teams who implement a lot of green-dog blitzes and pressure schemes up the middle will love the leverage, twitch, and hitting power that Bolton brings to the football field.”

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Because the Chiefs have had a great need for a dynamic playmaker at the LB position ever since DJ left town, Nick Bolton will have a huge impact on the Chiefs defense. We often talk about how a great interior lineman — like Joe Thuney — will make the linemen playing next to him better and the same holds true here. Nick Bolton will make both Anthony Hitchens and WIllie Gay better. I was hoping for an OLB this year and an ILB next year, but getting your eventual man to call the plays and learn for a year now, before Hitchens leaves, is a huge plus.

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Early in the draft season, I was thoroughly behind the idea of drafting Creed Humphrey with the 31st pick, in order to put a stop to the sieve that was in the middle of he Chiefs IOL in SB LV, but then I found out he was left handed and thought that the Chiefs brass would not want to put another task on Patrick Mahomes to-do list: learning how to take a shotgun snap from a Center who rotates the ball the opposite way. However, they clearly see that as no problem and besides, Humphrey turns out to be ambidextrous and has been practicing hiking with both hands. Also, “Sieve” might be to kind of a word but the Center position was an open door for a team like the Tamps Bay Buccaneers and I wanted to see the Chiefs put a human sized blockade there. Creed Humphrey is all of that and more. He brings his 6-foot-5, 320 lbs. frame to work with, not only as a pass protector, but as a real road grader in the running game. SI.com says of Humphrey:

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Humphrey has a sky-high football IQ and had a historically impressive pro day performance. He should compete for a starting job early on and projects as the team’s center of the future.

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Not only will Patrick Mahomes love him, but so will RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Below, see Humphrey at the Senior Bowl practice going against players who are also be going to play in the NFL.

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Seth Keysor says Humphrey doesn’t have elite upper body strength, but also says it’s still not a weakness,

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“Humphrey plays with a fair amount of strength in his upper body, which is aided by his hand placement and clear knowledge of leverage (wrestlers make for fun offensive linemen).” but that his lower body strength and feet are his strong suit, “Humphrey’s feet and base are outstanding generally, and it shows in terms of his pass blocking in terms of lower body power. He keeps his legs underneath him and constantly churning, whether that’s resetting in pass protection or trying to drive defenders as a run blocker.”

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Humphrey should be a clear cut upgrade to the Center position over Austin Blythe and win the starting assignment before training camp is over.

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Kaindoh had zero sacks in his senior season, so unless Brendan Daly can coach him up and put him in the best situations to succeed, he may not produce right away, not the way Chiefs fans are hoping he will. The reason may have to do with injuries. Kaindoh was a 5-star athlete in Tallahassee, Florida and he came out of IMG Academy in 2017. He suffered a knee injury in September of 2020 because of an illegal chop block and came back to play in 7 games, with 5.5 sacks and 23 tackles. However, he only played in 10 total games in his last two seasons. If Kaindoh stays healthy, the Chiefs have a gem. If not, he may end up getting the Sammy Watkins/Eric Berry Award: from day-to-day-to-day-to-day-to….

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WR Cornell Powell may not have been the highest profile wideout in this draft, but he could end up being one of the best. He has great lateral agility and he ability to those skills to beat corners easily. Matt Lane has compared Powell to Jeremy Maclin and I agree. Daniel Harms has Powell as the best value pick for the Chiefs, and while I could make him my best value pick here, because I agree with Harms, I’m translating that to Rookie of the Year. It’s not only a great break for the Chiefs that Powell is going from Trevor Lawrence to Patrick Mahomes, but it means he’s already used to the ball arriving when it needs to, with pace, so it’s advantage Cornell Powell. Especially because Powell runs great routes and is almost always where, and when, he needs to be. Here’s the best tape I’ve seen on him (1:17):

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If WR Cornell Powell does win Rookie of the Year for the Chiefs, there’s a very good chance K.C. is winning the Super Bowl… again, and then will be considered favorites for the Super Bowl next season as well.

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Best Veach Draft Class

If all the players drafted by Brett Veach do come through this year, this draft class may not only go down in Chiefs history, but NFL history. Especially if you count Orlando Brown as part of this draft class, and you should. From a piece by Nate Taylor for the Athletic, he writes:

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“With this a draft class, Chiefs could receive valuable production this upcoming season from five prospects in Bolton, Humphrey, Kaindoh, Gray and Powell. If those players quickly realize their potential on the field, the group will be one of the best classes in the Veach era with the Chiefs.”

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This has to potential to become the best draft class in the Brett Veach era, at least. Since it’s way too early to actually evaluate this draft class, I’ll just leave it at that and wait for the 2021 season to begin. Can it begin this Sunday please?

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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