In the golden era of Kansas City Chiefs football, the organization has seen talented players rise to the top but has also seen plenty fall from grace into obscurity.
General manager Brett Veach has been confident in his draft strategy since he first led the Chiefs’ front office in the 2018 draft. With eight full seasons as the top decision-maker under his belt, Veach has learned lessons from the scars left by watching players he invested highly in fizzle out.
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Whether it was 46th-overall pick Breeland Speaks earning just 1.5 sacks in a short, disappointing career, or running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire peaking as a solid running back despite being selected ahead of the Indianapolis Colts’ All-Pro back Jonathan Taylor, Veach has sharpened his skills through the poor results.
During his pre-draft press conference last Thursday, he shared the takeaway he has from going through such low points.
“If you miss on a player, it’s probably the character and the love for football,” Veach told reporters. “We all get enamored by what a player can do, and I think everyone has a element of ‘if he’s in our environment, it’ll be different.’”
One of the strongest examples of Veach believing a talented player would have better production in Kansas City than elsewhere was his midseason trade for New York Giants’ first-round pick, wide receiver Kadarius Toney in 2022.
Veach sent two picks in the following year’s draft for Toney; the compensation consisted of the 100th and 209th overall picks. The victory in Super Bowl LVII leaves a positive note on this trade in franchise history, but Veach expressed belief in Toney as the team’s No. 1 wideout moving forward into the 2023 season and beyond.
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That ended up being his last season with the team, and Toney hasn’t recorded a reception in the NFL since his time in Kansas City. It is clear, from speaking with team members who shared the locker room with Toney, that he did not put the effort and time into the profession that a successful franchise like the Chiefs requires.
Veach did not address Toney’s time with the team or reference it, but the example may reflect the numerous times a player targeted by the front office failed to live up to expectations.
“Learning over the years that we do have a great environment here,” Veach admitted. “If anyone is going to get the best out of any player, it’s going to be here, but even some of those players, it’s hard. I think just making sure we’re tweaking that process, and making sure we’ve identified the right players.”
“Nobody’s going to be perfect, you’re not going to always get Pat Mahomes and Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith in regards to just mental makeup,” Veach pointed out. “But the guys that you do ‘roll the dice’ for, the plan the approach, just working on that over the years.”
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As Kansas City sets its sights on the 2026 NFL Draft, Veach hammered a point home that will be crucial to making the most of the nine picks available to the team this upcoming weekend.
“The mistakes you make are [on] guys that, at the end of the day, they just don’t love football,” Veach emphasized. “Even though you thought you were going to change them, you didn’t. I think that’s one of those things that we try to do better with that process… making sure we’re looking for the right traits and characteristics that do lend [themselves] to future change.”
One of the most intriguing selections the team could make is Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. The team has hosted him for a pre-draft visit and has likely conducted enough research and interviews to feel strongly about whether he is on the board for the No. 9 pick.
With news about Bain being cited for careless driving two years ago, in an accident that left a student in a coma before eventually passing away, it’s even more important that the Chiefs determine whether or not he will be a worthwhile member of the organization.
It’s something Veach and his team have monitored for months.
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“We were probably aware of that at the start of the season,” Veach explained. “When we’re at St. Joe, before our scout leaves, we always get together and review some of the top prospects. That was something that, when we started that process a year ago… as far as that impact, it’s our responsibility to our due diligence and fully vet each player as always. I think, like with any case, we do so with the understanding that all these cases are different and unique.”
“This is the most important part of our job, is getting the player right and the whole body of work, what he does on the field and what he does off the field,” Veach said. “Needless to say, we spent a lot of time with him at the Combine, brought him here, had a lot of meetings with a lot of different people, and that process is consistent with not just him but all of the players on our draft board.”
It all comes down to one question for a potential pick for Kansas City: Does he love football?
That answer can be difficult to determine before the draft, but Veach is working to feel good about that answer for any of the players he selects this week.
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