2 Chiefs Draft Picks Gain National Attention as 'Impact' Rookies

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Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach (left) celebrates a Super Bowl victory with team president Mark Donovan (right).

Since Brett Veach has taken over as general manager, the Kansas City Chiefs have had a dominant hit rate in the NFL draft.

That’s the main reason this franchise has been able to sustain their success for so long. And Veach may have hit on two more non-first-round “impact” rookies in 2025.

ESPN NFL insider and draft expert Field Yates ranked the top 10 offensive and defensive rookies (picked outside of round one) that he expects to make an immediate impact at the professional level on May 12. Two Chiefs draft picks were included in the article.

Chiefs DT Omarr Norman-Lott Is Expected to Get ‘Plenty’ of Opportunities to Rush the Passer Next to Chris Jones

Ranking seventh on Yates’ defensive list was second-round selection Omarr Norman-Lott.

“Adding another defensive tackle was a priority for the Chiefs early in this draft, considering they lost Tershawn Wharton in free agency,” Yates wrote. “Having another big body on the defensive line can make life easier for Chris Jones.”

“Norman-Lott is a standout pass rusher from inside, showing disruptive up-field rush skills that helped him to 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons,” the draft analyst went on. He concluded that “playing next to Jones should create plenty of one-on-one rush reps for him” early in his NFL career.

Kansas City has needed a better “Robin” to Jones’ “Batman” for some time now. Even with players like Wharton, Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders on the roster in previous seasons, it felt like this was an area that the Chiefs could upgrade on.

Perhaps, Norman-Lott is that player.

At first, the youngster will likely compete with free agent pickup Jerry Tillery in pass-rushing situations — with Mike Pennel playing the run. That gives him a solid opportunity to make his presence known, but he’ll have to outplay the veteran signing.

If he does so, there’s reason to believe Yates is correct with this projection.

Chiefs RB Brashard Smith Could Step Into Former Jerick McKinnon Role

Yates also included seventh-round running back Brashard Smith as an honorable mention on offense, ranking him just outside the top 10 on the opposite side of the ball.

“There were several late-round running backs I could have chosen here, as the exceptional depth of the class pushed many of them down the board,” Yates first acknowledged.

“Smith switched from wide receiver at Miami to running back at SMU, which speaks to his unique versatility that should lead to schemed touches for him in Kansas City,” he continued. “Smith is great after the catch and shows fantastic lateral agility and straight-line speed.”

Yates may have nailed this projection, as Smith feels like a perfect fit in that former Jerick McKinnon, Samaje Perine role on third downs.

Like Norman-Lott, he’ll have to compete with a veteran free agent in Elijah Mitchell, but there’s no reason the younger draft pick shouldn’t be able to flash more explosiveness than Mitchell — who is coming off a major injury.

Assuming Smith can do that, his skillset separates him from Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Those two should dominate the early workload and carry count, but expect Smith to be much more active in the passing game, similar to McKinnon in previous years.

2024 UDFA Carson Steele could also insert his name into the conversation in this regard.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy.com, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus specialize on the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. An NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate, his previous bylines include Heavy on Jets, FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. More about Michael Obermuller