The Kansas City Chiefs made it to their second-consecutive Super Bowl but failed to defend their title. Mahomes & Company fell to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t really need to add a lot of fantasy football-eligible guys in the draft, and they traded their first-rounder to acquire LT Orlando Brown from the Baltimore Ravens. In the end, the Kansas City Chiefs took only six guys, with two of them as fantasy football-eligible players. They both went in the fifth round, so it’s unlikely they make any waves in their rookie years. Still, it’s worth knowing who joined the Kansas City Chiefs and one of the best offenses in the NFL.
FULL KANSAS CITY CHIEFS DRAFT RESULTS
| Rd | Pick | Player | Pos. | College |
| 2 | 58 | Nick Bolton | LB | Missouri |
| 2 | 63 | Creed Humphrey | C | Oklahoma |
| 4 | 144 | Joshua Kaindoh | DE | Florida State |
| 5 | 162 | Noah Gray | TE | Duke |
| 5 | 181 | Cornell Powell | WR | Clemson |
| 6 | 226 | Trey Smith | OG | Tennessee |
Round 5, Pick 162 Overall: Noah Gray, TE, Duke (6’4” 240 pounds)
Depth Chart:
TE1: Travis Kelce
TE2: Blake Bell
TE3: Noah Gray
TE4: Nick Keizer
TALENT
Noah Gray is an H-Back, who frequently lined up in the backfield for Duke, as well as in-line and in the slot. They used him all over the field because he worked well all over the field. His versatility will serve him well at the NFL level, since he’s a bit underweight as a traditional tight end, but would do well in a Jonnu Smith role in the NFL. He’s not overwhelmingly exciting but he is fast for a tight end, is athletic, and is a willing (if underwhelming) blocker. Gray also isn’t very athletic more than being faster than he looks. He’s fine and is a decent backup to Travis Kelce down the line.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the most top-heavy target teams in the NFL. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill sop up essentially every single possible target, and everyone else fights over the scraps. If Noah Gray somehow worms his way into snaps, he’s likely to end up among the flotsam and jetsam like Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman. I’m not overly bullish on him, even if he somehow escaped the rookie tight end curse.
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Rookie tight ends, except Kyle Pitts, have zero expectations.
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 5, Pick 181 Overall: Cornell Powell, Wide Receiver, Clemson (6’0” 210 pounds)
Depth Chart:
WR1: Tyreek Hill
WR2: Mecole Hardman
WR3: James Robinson
WR4: Byron Pringle
WR5: Cornell Powell
TALENT
Cornell Powell is a smooth runner who runs fastish (4.47 40-yard dash) but is somehow never open, or so it seems. He wears coverage like a blanket, but it didn’t really matter with Trevor Lawrence throwing him the football. They connected for highlight covered catch after highlight covered catch. If there’s a QB who could replicate this connection in the NFL, it is Patrick Mahomes, especially when you consider how well Powell could contort his body and track the ball for downfield shots. He’s not exceptionally athletic, with just his broad jump measuring as exceptional per his RAS scores. He should help out Patrick Mahomes if he gets on the field, but I’m not sure how he climbs his way into meaningful touches, when no other player except Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, or Clyde Edwards-Helaire could do it last season.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
I highly doubt that Cornell Powell will be the wide receiver to push through the Kelce-Kitttle target embargo. I doubt he gets more than… 40(?) targets all year long, especially given that the Chiefs didn’t make acquiring him a priority, it seems. He fits well as a deep threat in a room full of deep threats.
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
He’s on a Rolodex of guys to take a flier on if they start to pop, but we’ve played this game before.
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
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