6 winners and 3 losers from the Chiefs’ draft weekend

The Kansas City Chiefs’ class of 2025 is in — and the undrafted free agent signings are rounding out the rookie class. By most accounts, the Chiefs had a very successful draft weekend. They added to the pass protection, the pass rush, and brought three new speedy playmakers to make this squad more explosive.

They had a plan and executed it — we’ll see how it all turns out. For now, we can consider how this weekend’s moves reflect on some existing Chiefs.

Note: Applying the labels “winners” and “losers” is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these players. It’s just a simple way to react to the NFL Draft. No disrespect is intended.

Winners

Running back Isiah Pacheco: In a good running back class, everyone expected the Chiefs to be looking for an upgrade. After nearly crossing the 1,000-yard mark in 2023, a fractured fibula cost him several games in 2024. When he was able to return, Pacheco wasn’t as explosive as he was in previous seasons, splitting time with Kareem Hunt. By waiting until Round 7 to draft running back Brashard Smith, the Chiefs indicated that they believe Pacheco should be back to himself in 2025. Smith is an explosive complement to what Pacheco and Hunt bring to the table, as opposed to a bell-cow replacement.

Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott: This class was full of defensive line prospects, and Omarr Norman-Lott wasn’t expected to be drafted quite as high as where the Chiefs took him. His five-year college career resulted in limited snaps and inconsistent film, but the traits and production were there. His best-case scenario was to be drafted by a team with a great coaching staff that had a defined role for him. If all goes to plan, Norman-Lott could slide right into the rotation as a pass-rush specialist, taking the snaps vacated by Tershawn Wharton. He’ll have an opportunity to show everyone he was underrated in the draft process.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo: After going offense on Thursday, everything was coming up Spags on day two. The Chiefs added an interior pass rusher, an EDGE and a perfect fit at cornerback. There’s a clear path for each of these guys to contribute to Spagnuolo’s defense. Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte should boost the four-man pass rush from the inside and out, improving on a weakness from the Super Bowl. Nohl Williams is a perfect fit for what Spagnuolo expects out of a corner, giving Spags a deeper rotation at a position decimated by injuries last season.

General manager Brett Veach: It feels like this happens every season — fans and pundits come to a solid consensus on the list of positions the team will draft. Then, as the weekend progresses, everyone freaks out when the names and the order of the picks don’t line up with our expectations. But, give credit to Brett Veach and the patience he showed in this draft: he started with a trade down, then resisted the urge to trade up from 63 or 66. The team did its homework, played the board well and got pretty good value at nearly every pick. Veach addressed the glaring concern about left tackle in Round 1, then brought reinforcements to the defense and speedy playmakers with the remaining six players selected. Just a friendly reminder to us all: wait for the entire draft weekend to play out before judging the plan.

Tight ends Jared Wiley and Noah Gray: The Chiefs didn’t invest in the tight end position before the UDFA signing period, indicating they have some faith in Wiley’s return from injury and Noah Gray’s development. During Travis Kelce’s (likely) final year, there will be plenty of eyes on the future of the tight end room. For now, Gray and Wiley appear to have every opportunity to show they are part of the answer.

Losers

Cornerback Joshua Williams: If we needed any more confirmation about how the team felt about Joshua Williams after he didn’t see the field on defense much in 2024, look no further than their offseason moves. Not only did they add Kristian Fulton in free agency, but they also traded up in Round 4 of the 2025 draft to get Nohl Williams. Nohl is 6’3” and proficient in man coverage — he’ll have an opportunity to do what many hoped Joshua Williams would do at this point, cover bigger receivers and tight ends. Nohl Williams also has fantastic ball skills, with more interceptions than anyone in college football.

Wide receiver/returner Nikko Remigio: Not only did the Chiefs draft a receiver with huge upside (Jalen Royals) in Round 4, but three of their Day 3 picks have some potential to contribute as a returner as rookies. The Chiefs’ wide receiver room now features Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jalen Royals. That leaves Remigio to compete with Skyy Moore (who should also be concerned) and others for the sixth receiver spot. If he’s also going to be competing with Royals, Nohl Williams, Brashard Smith and others for return duty, Remigio’s roster spot could be in serious jeopardy.

Right tackle Jawaan Taylor: We talked about how the draft pick of Josh Simmons might have felt like a slight to Jaylon Moore, who might have been expecting to be the long-term left tackle for the Chiefs. But, what if the plan is to replace Jawaan Taylor with some combination of Simmons and Moore? Taylor’s contract becomes one the team could move on from as soon as 2026. By then, we’ll probably know more about how ready Josh Simmons is to take over.