The Chiefs continued to shore up positions of need on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft.
Kansas City had two picks late in the fourth round and selected tight end Jared Wiley and Jaden Hicks. Neither player is an immediate starter, but both should provide depth at key positions for the Chiefs in their pursuit of a third consecutive Super Bowl.
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Chiefs Day 3 draft picks
- TCU TE Jared Wiley
- Washington S Jaden Hicks
- Penn State C Hunter Nourzad
- Tennessee CB Kamal Hadden
- Holy Cross OG C.J. Hanson
Chiefs 2024 draft grade for TE Jared Wiley
Sooner or later, the Chiefs were going to have to think of a post-Travis Kelce world. Kansas City signed Irv Smith Jr. and still has Noah Gray on the roster, but neither offers the potential to take over for Kelce in the event of an injury or his eventual retirement.
Wiley can. He's massive at 6-foot-6 and 249 pounds with long arms (33.25 inches) and big hands (9.5 inches). Wiley finished the past two years at TCU (he transferred from Texas) with 71 receptions for 765 yards and 12 touchdowns. Like Kelce, Wiley is more of a "move" tight end who won't be called upon to block as much. In terms of a succession plan, grabbing Wiley late in the fourth is good value.
Grade: B+
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Chiefs 2024 draft grade for S Jaden Hicks
The Chiefs added another depth piece with the selection of Hicks. He finished the past two seasons with three interceptions and 10 defended passes for Washington State. Hicks has good size at 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, too.
Kansas City has a safety spot that could be up for grabs depending on how the team feels about Bryan Cook. While Hicks isn't a shoo-in to takeover, he has the requisite skillset and experience to make it a battle in training camp.
Grade: B
Chiefs 2024 draft grade for C Hunter Nourzad
Nourzad's appeal is his versatility. He's played nearly every position on the offensive line during his college career, first at Cornell and then at Penn State. Nourzad started 20 consecutive games at right tackle for Cornell from 2018 to 2021 before transferring to Penn State to play guard and center. He started 13 games at center for the Nittany Lions in 2023.
The Chiefs don't need a center, but they need offensive linemen. Kansas City took BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia with their second-round pick Friday and now add a player in Nourzad who can start on the interior and kick out to tackle as needed. Given the late-round pick they spent on him, it's a worthy addition
Grade: A
Chiefs 2024 draft grade for CB Kamal Hadden
Finally, the Chiefs took a cornerback. Hadden should slide into the Chiefs' secondary as a depth piece as Kansas City tries to figure out how to replace L'Jarius Sneed. Hadden is a big corner at 6-foot-1, 196 pounds but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after seven games.
Hadden was productive in 2023 and during his college career at Tennessee. He tallied six interceptions, including three in 2023, with 12 defended passes and 5.5 sacks. The Chiefs shouldn't expect Hadden to see significant snaps unless injuries befall the unit or he excels in training camp. But it's a good depth pick at a position of need for KC.
Grade: A-
Chiefs 2024 draft grade for Holy Cross OG C.J. Hanson
Hanson is a three-year starter and captain, which gives him an experience edge for a player so late in the draft. He will be a depth piece for the Chiefs offensive line in a crowded 2024 roster. That's not a bad thing, though, especially when seventh-round picks are shots in the dark anyway.
Grade: B
