The Kansas City Chiefs’ moves this offseason have put them in a position for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, where they can do what Brett Veach loves most: Trade around and be selective.
It’s no secret that Veach likes to be aggressive with his first-round selections. He’s had six first-round picks since taking over as the general manager in 2018, and in that span, he’s traded up in Round 1 twice. In 2022, he moved up with the New England Patriots to select CB Trent McDuffie. In 2024, he moved up with the Buffalo Bills to select WR Xavier Worthy. That doesn’t even include when he tried and failed to make a trade. For instance, Veach attempted to move up with the Dallas Cowboys when the Chiefs hosted the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City.
It begs the question: Will the Chiefs seek to trade up in the first round again in 2025?
Round 4, Pick 133. Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter
If the Chiefs miss out on getting one of the top running backs in the class, Hunter might be a nice pivot on Day 3. He might not get the name recognition of others in this class, but he’s every bit as effective, if not more efficient and productive in key areas. Hunter creates explosive plays regularly, with 22.6% of his runs in 2024 going for 10 or more yards. Only UCF’s RJ Harvey had a higher percentage of such runs last season. He boasts bowling-ball-like contact balance at 5-foot-9 and 204 pounds, as evidenced by the 4.10 yards after contact average in 2024.
Round 7, Pick 226. South Carolina TE Joshua Simon
Simon had a productive six-year college career split between Western Kentucky and South Carolina, with 154 career receptions for over 1,900 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was one of the most explosive athletes at the tight end position at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, recording a 4.66s 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical, and a 124-inch broad jump. Those numbers each ranked second among tight ends in this draft class. He’s also not afraid to block from various formations and could help the Chiefs with their chip blocking.
Round 7, Pick 257. North Carolina State DL Davin Vann
Vann is a bit of a tweener at 6-foot-1 and 269 pounds, but that didn’t stop him from recording 20.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss over five seasons with the Wolfpack. Some people think he’ll be an edge rusher at the next level. I think the Chiefs would take a player like this to get him up to about 280 pounds to play three-technique in the Tershawn Wharton role. He aligned on the interior sparingly at NC State, with just 38 snaps at defensive tackle in 2024. When he did get into those situations, his burst and power made him a mismatch