Chiefs Rookies Will Decide How Far They Go in 2022

by Laddie Morse

The 2022 draft class for the Kansas City Chiefs may be one of the best draft classes in team history. Those ten players drafted by Brett Veach this year line up favorably when compared to the 2021 draft class. PFF ranks last years draft and ranks the Chiefs with the third best draft. The 2021 Chiefs draft class includes: LB Nick Bolton, OC Creed Humphrey (both taken in the second round), DE Joshua Kaindoh, TE Noah Gray, WR Cornell Powell, and 6th round RG wonder, Trey Smith. Smith, Humphrey and Nick Bolton all became immediate starters. This years draft may out perform last years draft class, but already ranks third according to NFL.com. This year’s class looks like this:

While the rookies in this draft class may not start the year as immediate starters, half of them (5) may end the year as starters and in the meantime, will be heavy contributors. Let’s take a look at each rookie.

Trent McDuffie

The Chiefs moved on from Charvarius Ward and Mike Hughes last year and while McDuffie was a first round pick (pick #21), some have argued that he’s too small to be a shut down corner (5-11, 195). An opinion that I’m not in agreement with. McDuffie was the third CB taken in the draft with Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner going 3 and 4 in that draft. McDuffie could end up being the best of those three. Here he is busting up a pass at Training Camp:

Here’s what Pete Sweeney noticed about one of the Chiefs CB alignments in camp:

The Slot position may be the hardest CB position to play. When you line up on the outside, you can use the boundary to help you play off your man. When in the slot, the WR you’re covering could go either way. It takes a corner who has the ability to read the slot WR and the quickness to stay with him. Here’s another Training Camp breakup by McDuffie:

When 1st round CB Marcus Peters was a rookie in 2015 (pick #18), he played on 95% of the Chiefs defensive snaps that year. I’d expect McDuffie to do the same. To top it off, “Steve Spagnuolo says Chiefs rookie CB Trent McDuffie is doing an ‘outstanding job.” An aside, let’s not assume we know what a player is, has done, or is going through: Trent’s younger brother, Taylor, died when he was in 8th grade. Trent has worn th number 22 in honor of his brother for years and since Juan Thornhill wears that number for the Chiefs, Trent decided upon #21, Taylor also played football (and soccer) so we can believe Trent plays the game with a broken heart. Our best goes out to you and your family, Trent!

DE George Karlaftis

One of the obvious weaknesses the Chiefs had heading into the draft was: Defensive End. The addition of Karlaftis was not received well by all of Chiefs Kingdom. However, the “resurgence” of Frank Clark and the addition of Carlos Dunlap has given Karlaftis time to develop and two mentors to help him through the process. Here’s GK getting time and instruction from his elder statesmen after practice:

Frank Clark calls Karlaftis, “One of my favorite rookies ever” and with good reason:

Andrew Wylie had a mouthful to say about George Karlaftis too:

WR Skyy Moore

Andy Reid says Skyy Moore has legs like a running back:

Maybe that’s why we’ve already seen Moore used as a RB:

I appreciate the way Moore uses his blockers here. Not every WR we’ve had wearing the red and gold have been able to do that. He and CB Trent McDuffie share their birthday month and their actual birthdays are three days apart (Sept. 10 to Moore, an Sept. 13 for McDuffie, both in 2000). Also, like McDuffie, Moore played CB in high school (as well as QB), which means, we may see Moore taking Wildcat snaps down the line. We’ve already seen him in various offensive sets, shown above.

Safety Bryan Cook

4th year man, Safety Juan Thornhill, said this about Bryan Cook:

Cook is all about hitting. I wrote a piece back in May on Cook called: “Chiefs: Bryan Cook Be Cookin’” Here’s a short video starring Bryan Cook also from May.

Here’s what I said back on May in a quote from the Draft Network:

“Aligning as a one-high safety, split zones, in the box, and from the slot, Cook’s versatility shined in 2021, and he was among the many tone-setters for an outstanding Bearcats’ defense.”

The Chiefs first round pick, CB Trent McDuffie, says this about Cook:

LB Leo Chenal

Leo Chenal was the Chiefs 3rd round pick, #103 overall. In a draft loaded with WR talent, Chenal was more like a draft pick taken with the 90th pick overall. IOW, his value was higher than where he was selected:

On playing with Patrick Mahomes on the other side of the ball, Chenal said:

“It’s kinda cool, the top of the top of the top. Iron sharpens iron but in reality, it’s more like a diamond sharpening cooper.”

Chenal makes a great point, all of the Chiefs rookies, are getting a lesson in real NFL football from the best of the best, Patrick Mahomes. That should make them all more game ready when the real bullets start flying, or in this case, the real footballs.

What the drafting and signing of Leo Chenal means to the Chiefs other linebackers is also significant:

CB Joshua Williams

CB Joshua Williams was a 4th round pick for K.C. this year and he’s having an excellent camp so far. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 197 lbs. and projects to cover tight ends, and there are plenty of good ones in the AFC West alone. So, in the meantime, Joshua Williams, gets to cover the best TE ever:

Rookies and More Rookies

Of course, I haven’t even mentioned RB Isiah Pacheco, the favorite of many to make this team and be the #1 Kick returner… and… there are others. This 2022 squad has high expectations and the end results will depend on how quickly these, and other rookies, can adapt and assimilate into both Andy Reid’s and Steve Spagnuolo’s systems. At this moment, the Chiefs have half a dozen or more rooks who can make that transition. It looks like the Chiefs — and GM Brett Veach — have accumulated the best group of rookies they’ve ever gathered together. I can’t wait for the regular season to begin!

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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