Chiefs: Promoting Brett Veach to GM “ACE”
David Bell
First, Brett Veach lobbied HC Andy Reid and GM John Dorsey about the QB they should draft in 2017 — Patrick Mahomes. Then, he drug Reid and Dorsey to a game to see Mahomes play in person. John Dorsey became a believer and traded several picks to select Patrick Mahomes with pick #10 in the first round. This was a bold move by John Dorsey.
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Patrick’s Pricetag
This was a costly trade for the Chiefs and a good move by the Bills simultaneously.
Patrick Mahomes draft Pick Trade Details
- Kansas City Chiefs received: #10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft (Patrick Mahomes)
- Kansas City traded pick #27 of round one and round two of the draft. They also included the round-one pick of 2018.
- Buffalo Bills received: #27 pick in 2017 in rounds one and two. They packaged the round-one pick and turned it into two picks, OT Dion Dawkins and WR Zay Jones.
- The Bills used the acquired first-round 2018 pick and used it to trade up and select LB Tremaine Edmunds; Buffalo also drafted defensive back Siran Neal they acquired in trading away the first-round 2018 draft pick acquired from the Chiefs.
The Chiefs had become perennially successful when Reid took over the reins as head Coach, and John Dorsey took on the GM role, both reporting directly to Principal Owner Clark Hunt. After John Dorsey was fired, Veach took over the front office. Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs #2 QB and was tutored under Alex Smith (AS11). In 2018, the Chiefs traded AS/11 to the WFT, and Mahomes took over as the Chiefs QB. Mahomes led the Chiefs to the AFC title game in 2018, a game which they lost to the Patriots. The tweet below illustrates all that Patrick Mahomes has accomplished since taking over the helm:
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These views bolster the achievements of Brett Veach preceding taking on the GM duties in 2017. John Dorsey was the GM at the time of the 2017 draft, but as observed, he was lobbied by Veach to trade up to obtain PMII in the draft.
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Historical Brett Veach: 2018-2022 Draft Picks
Round 2. Pick 46 Edge Breeland Speaks, Mississippi (2018) – Wasted pick!
Round 3. Pick 75 DT Derrick Nnadi, FSU (2018) – Still a factor, a starter in 2022.
Round 3. Pick 100 LB Dorian O’Daniel, Clemson (2018) – PS & S/Ts.
Round 4. Pick 124 S Armani Watts, Texas A&M (2018) – Watts looked good his first year until the injury. A wash after that.
Round 6. Pick 196 WR Tremon Smith, Central Arkansas (2018) – wasted pick.
Round 6. Pick 198 DT Kahlil McKenzie, UTenn (2018) – Wasted Pick.
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Since 2018’s, Brett Veach & the Staff Deserve an “A” Grade
2019
Round 2. pick 56 WR Mecole Hardman, Georgia, Starter.
Round 2. pick 63 DB Juan Thornhill, Virginia. Starter.
Round 3. pick 82 DT Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois, rotational DL.
Round 6. pick 201 CB Rashad Fenton South Carolina – Surprise starter.
Round 6. pick 214 RB Darwin Thompson, Utah State – 3 yrs, S/T’s contributor.
Round 7. pick 216 OG/OC Nick Allegretti, Illinois – IOL depth – would be a starter for many other teams!
2020
Round 1. pick 32: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU – Featured RB.
Round 2 pick 31, LB Willie Gay Jr., – Starter.
Round 3. pick 96: OT Lucas Niang, TCU – Starter in 2021, will be back in 2022.
Round 4. pick 138: CB L’Jarius Sneed, Louisiana Tech – Feature CB!
Round 5. pick 177: Edge Mike Danna, Michigan – 3 years-a rotation player, important.
Round 7. pick 237 CB: Thakarius “BoPete” Keyes, Tulane – FA.
2021
Round 2. pick 58 LB Nick Bolton, Missouri – Big-time Starter, Green Dot LB.
Round 2. pick 63 OC Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma – Complete Draft pick, the best center in the Biz!
Round 4. pick 144 Edge (compensatory) – Joshua Kaindoh, Florida State – PS, and now roster.
Round 5. pick 162 TE (from MIA through LV and NYJ) – Noah Gray, Duke – PS, and now roster.
Round 5. pick 181 WR (compensatory) – Cornell Powell, Clemson – 2nd year on PS.
Round 6. pick 226 OG (from CAR through NYJ) – Trey Smith, Tennessee – Starting RG!
2022
Round 1. pick 21 CB (from NE) – Trent McDuffie, Washington – Starting OCB.
Round 1. pick 30 Edge George Karlaftis, Purdue – Round 1 pick, Roster, for the edge. Will be a huge contributor, 2022.
Round 2. pick 54 WR (from NE) – Skyy Moore, Western Michigan – Will be a huge contributor.
Round 2. pick 62 S Bryan Cook, Cincinnati – Downhill, Dynamic, tough, athletic with speed@ Will be a huge contributor.
Round 3. pick 103 LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin – Downhill, Dynamic, tough, athletic with speed! Will be a huge contributor.
Round 4. pick 135 CB Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State – part of the starting CB crew if three are on the field.
Round 5. pick 145 OT (from SEA via DET via DEN) – Darian Kinnard, Kentucky – Kinnard on the Roster, he will develop!
Round 7. pick 243 CB (from LV via NE) – Jaylen Watson, Washington State – Surprise to many, but I liked him before the draft.
Round 7. pick 251 RB Isiah Pacecho, Rutgers.
Round 7. pick 259 S Nazeeh Johnson, Marshall PS.
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Veach’s work improved as he went from 2018 to now. Over the last two seasons, I’d give him a grade of A+ and for 3 of 4, an. A! I am not going to explain it all. These 24 players comprise nearly 50% of the roster. I am not going to state that they are the end-all-be-all of 2023. It’s 24 players who will be factors in 2022. True, there are 9 rookies on the roster. they have played very well and made their own mark on the playing field and in training camp. I have my own list of players who are beyond just contributors, but this is an acknowledgment of the role these young me will mark the page each weak when the W/L record is updated each weak of the season.
I ask you: is there any other GM that has done better than Brett Veach across 4 years at the helm? Name another GM that put 24 players on the roster across a similar time frame. Can you do that? Note: I did not count among the roster, players who played a role, ie, from the PS or S/T’s view. Nor did I add a player such as Armani Watts, who had one good year and then declined. I think the list and my judgment is fair.
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“Brett Veach: Maverick GM, Part 2” is next up!
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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