Less than a week from now, the Kansas City Chiefs will gather with the league’s other 31 teams for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Over the past several months, pundits have been lukewarm on this season’s class — particularly noting its lack of star talent. And when Kansas City general manager Brett Veach spoke to local media on Thursday, he seemed to agree — at least with regard to the players he and his staff have identified as first-round prospects.

“It’s probably a tick down,” he revealed. “I think, typically, in years past that number has been anywhere from 15 to 18 — even 19 [first-round grades]. I think the last time that I checked [this year], it was down to 12 or 13. So it is lower.

“Although I will say this: in that second wave of guys that are in the late [first] round, high two consideration, that number’s probably a little higher. So hopefully that provides a little bit more flexibility on both ends.”

Veach understands that with the Chiefs’ first selection at 31st overall, it will be harder for the team to acquire one of these coveted players. But if an opportunity arises, he is ready to be aggressive — just as in the 2022 draft, when he traded up from 29th to 21st.

“I think we have a pretty consistent game plan year in and year out,” he explained, “and if one of those guys — however unlikely it is — that we have in that 12 or 13 or 14 number range, if they were to fall into a reasonable landing spot, I’m sure we’d make some calls. Typically, it’s unlikely to happen — but we all know a few years ago it did happen with Trent McDuffie.”

While the class doesn’t have many first-round prospects, the Chiefs’ overall draft board appears to have plenty of depth.

“I think we have 202 [players on the board],” noted Veach, “which is maybe a tick high, but we’ve been anywhere from 85 to 210 over the years… I think we have plenty of names to work with — and hopefully we’re able to execute our game plan as the names come off, [working] those position groups throughout the course of the three days.”

Echoing draft media, Veach believes many good running backs will be available.

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“[It’s] probably the deepest class in the draft,” he said. “I think you can get a really good player from Round 1 through Round 5. Look, with all these players, you’re a few bad weeks away from having no depth at all… Last year, [Isiah] Pacheco got hurt early on, and we always want to surround [Patrick Mahomes] with playmakers.”

Citing yet another change to the league’s kickoff rules, Veach hopes that any running back or wide receiver the team could get will help in the return game.

“Ideally,” he continued, “it would be advantageous for us to identify a receiver and/or a running back that has explosive playmaking ability at both ends… We’re always pushing the envelope to get 1% better, and if we can add another dynamic element to both return phases, that would be something that makes sense.”

And Veach believes Kansas City can find players like that.

“They’re all really good,” he said, “and the discrepancies between the running back you have in the fourth or fifth is really close — or fourth or third is really close. I think it’s a good likelihood that one of those players ends up on our roster.”

The 2025 draft has also been lauded for its depth at defensive line — and Veach shares that view, too.

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“I think that’s probably driven more by the depth at D-end,” he clarified. “I think there’s a lot of D-ends. Running back is certainly, I think, the deepest class in the draft. A close second would be D-end. I think the interior defensive line numbers are better than most years, but I don’t think they come anywhere close to the D-end depth and the cornerback depth.

“I think those two [positions] — you look at the board, and those names go from top to bottom… Corner, I think, is actually decent in the middle rounds. I think D-line is ok, but I don’t think it’s any more than anyone in particular. I think where you’re getting your big numbers from top to bottom are D-end and running back. Cornerback, I think, is a little bit meatier in the middle.

“[For] receivers? Every year you’re going to have numbers, but it’s just the vision and the plan and how you’re going to utilize those guys within your offense… Last year was an extraordinary class, and there were so many receivers taken high. I don’t think you’re going to see that this year, but you’ll see receivers taken every round just because they’re always plentiful in regards to numbers.”

The draft opens this coming Thursday at 7 p.m. Arrowhead Time.