Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach spoke with the media on April 16 about the team’s approach to the upcoming NFL Draft, where the Chiefs hold nine selections, including two in the first round and their highest pick in over a decade at No. 9 overall.
The draft is seen as an important opportunity for Kansas City to address several roster needs following a disappointing season. Veach said, “There are a lot of areas to improve on our roster, on both sides of the football. I think it does open up that No. 9 pick to go in any one direction.” He noted that positions such as defensive backfield, offensive line, edge rusher, and receiver are all possibilities for early selections.
Veach also discussed his evaluation of this year’s draft class depth across various positions. “I think there are quite a number of [offensive] tackles, but I think it does fall off right after that first round – maybe it extends to pick 35 or 40,” he said. He described moderate depth at cornerback and receiver in mid-rounds but noted running back was thinner this year.
Reflecting on his growth as general manager during drafts with Kansas City, Veach said patience has become increasingly important: “You spend so much time on these guys… you get into this mindset where you think everybody sees the board just like you do… It’s just about being patient and being fluid and having an understanding that there will be more guys that you like later on in the draft.” He emphasized maintaining a consistent approach despite last season’s losing record: “Even if we had a better season last year… there would be a high level of anxiety here. I think we just look at this as an opportunity to make our roster better… The expectations are never going to change.”
One change for Kansas City’s process involved how they handled their allotted thirty pre-draft visits this offseason due to their higher draft position. “In the past, picking at 32, we probably spent most of those 30 visits on non-Combine players… This is a unique draft where when you’re picking at No. 9… you want every bit of information you can get,” Veach said.
The Chiefs’ preparations reflect both immediate needs and long-term planning as they aim to strengthen their roster through strategic selections.
