Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years

By HC Green Lindys Sports

Updated June 17, 2026 2:33 PM

Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons-injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.

With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.

Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Kansas City Chiefs' five worst draft picks of the past decade:

Dishonorable Mentions

LB Dorian O'Daniel (100th Overall, 2018)
WR Mecole Hardman (56th Overall, 2019)
OL Lucas Niang (96th Overall, 2020)

5) CB KeiVarae Russell, 74th Overall (2016)

It speaks to how well Kansas City has drafted that a third-round cornerback from a decade ago can crack the top five-for comparison, he might not make it on Las Vegas' top 25. Drafted on April 29, Russell was cut Sept. 14 without ever playing a snap for the Chiefs. He was the first player selected in the first four rounds of the 2016 NFL Draft to be released by his team.

4) DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, 31st Overall (2023)

The final pick of the first round, Anudike-Uzomah was drafted as a plug-and-play starter to replace Frank Clark. He never ascended above a rotational edge rusher, though, and the team declined his fifth-year option after he missed all of 2025 with a hamstring injury. Numerous clubs had better luck finding pass rushers later in the draft, including the Rams, which nabbed both Byron Young and Kobie Turner in Round 3.

3) WR Skyy Moore, 54th Overall (2022)

Believe it or not, some thought Moore would help fill the shoes of Tyreek Hill, who the Chiefs had traded before the 2022 draft, by handling that deep-threat role. Moore never found his footing as a receiver, and KC traded him and a seventh-round pick to the 49ers for a sixth-rounder. The very next selection after Moore: Trey McBride.

arena photography — JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE via Imagn Content Services, LLC

2) RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, 32nd Overall (2020)

Both the Chiefs and fantasy owners envisioned CEH as a three-down threat when they chose him to upgrade their running back room. Edwards-Helaire got off to a strong start, but injuries ended his year prematurely. He'd battle durability issues throughout his time with the Chiefs and was scarcely used in the final year of his rookie deal. The next six RBs selected after CEH all have more career yards, which includes Jonathan Taylor and D'Andre Swift.

1) DE Breeland Speaks, 46th Overall (2018)

The numbers "Speaks" for themselves: two seasons, 16 games, 24 tackles, four games suspended, and seven uniforms worn (though he only ever played in a game for the Chiefs).

This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 2:12 PM.