The Chiefs’ general manager held his usual pre-draft news conference Thursday and didn’t hold back. He’s expecting a lot of movement come draft night – teams jumping around, swapping picks, trying to get their guys.
“It should be an entertaining night,” Veach said. “There’ll probably be a lot of trades.”
He’s been saying all offseason that this draft class is different. Most scouts think only one quarterback – Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza – goes in the top 10. That’s unusual. Beyond that, some of the best players available don’t play what teams typically consider premium positions.
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is getting first-round buzz. So is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs too.
Those aren’t your typical top-10 positions.
“I think that the fans will be in for a treat next Thursday because I think the grades [on prospects] are going to be so close from some of these [offensive] tackles and D-ends and receivers,” Veach said. “A lot of these guys that are mocked high may go a little lower and a lot of these guys that are getting mocked a little lower may go higher because I think they’re so close this year.”
There’s no huge separation between prospects this year, according to Veach. No massive drop-off after the top tier.
“That’s what a draft like this – when you don’t have two or three [high-graded] quarterbacks and a Will Anderson [Jr.] or a Myles Garrett – does: It lends itself to open up to a lot of fun and a lot of excitement.”
Kansas City could be one of those teams making moves. Veach has a history of working the phones both before and during the draft. Since taking over as GM in July 2017, he’s pulled off several deals right around draft time.
The Chiefs have two first-round picks this year – No. 9 and No. 29. They’re one of just a handful of teams with multiple first-rounders, joining the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
That 29th pick came from the Los Angeles Rams last month. Kansas City sent All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to LA in exchange for a package centered around that late first-rounder.
Interestingly, the Chiefs originally got McDuffie through a trade too. Back in 2022, Veach moved up from pick 29 to pick 21 in a deal with the New England Patriots to grab the cornerback. That happened just weeks after Kansas City shipped receiver Tyreek Hill to Miami in a blockbuster deal.
So Veach knows how to work the board.
“I don’t know if I have a blueprint for that,” he said when asked about his trade history. “It’s just exhausting all the information with each player, identifying your team needs, [and] working with the coaching staff.”
The Chiefs have 215 prospects on their draft board this year. Veach said they’ve got 10-15 guys they really want – the ones they’re targeting specifically.
“It’s just trying to work the board and trying to find out how many of those 10-15 guys that you have in that really-want list can you position yourself to get.”