5 Grades for the Chiefs’ Final Day Draft Haul

How well did Brett Veach perform on Day Three?

The 2022 NFL Draft is complete, and the Kansas City Chiefs added quite a bit of talent that will be joining the team for rookie minicamp in a week or so.

The Chiefs selected a whopping five players on Saturday: Joshua Williams (CB, Fayetteville State), Darian Kinnard (OL, Kentucky), Jaylen Watson (CB, Washington State), Isiah Pacheco (RB, Rutgers) and Nazeeh Johnson (S, Marshall). In typical Chiefs fashion, a flurry of defensive backs came into play as the draft slowly came to a close. How well did general manager Brett Veach do on the final day of the draft? The Arrowhead Report crew discusses.

UK senior offensive lineman Darian Kinnard. Aug. 6, 2021 Kinnard Darian Uk Football139

Conner Christopherson: Brett Veach just kept rolling on Day Three of the NFL Draft. Josh Williams is the most Brett Veach pick imaginable as a small school, tall, long and fast cornerback. Even though he went to Fayetteville State, many draftniks around the league had Williams rated highly. Williams is the perfect cornerback prototype to try and replace Charvarius Ward. 

The Chiefs saw Darian Kinnard falling and decided to go for him by trading up with just a seventh-round pick. Kinnard worked with Duke Manyweather, who also worked with Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. It seems that Veach loves him some Duke offensive lineman. Kinnard was a stout right tackle at Kentucky in the SEC and a Chiefs scout has already said they plan to try him out at right tackle first. This pick was also another draft media value. 

Jaylen Watson, much like Williams, is a Veach and Steve Spagnuolo-type of corner: tall, long and fast. His hips and change of direction can be stiff but with players like Justin Reid, Trent McDuffie, Juan Thornhill, and L'Jarius Sneed patrolling the middle of the field, the Chiefs only ask their boundary cornerbacks to defend the sideline a lot of the time. Seeing a path for a seventh-rounder to start means this pick is fantastic. 

Isiah Pacheco is the definition of the nice value in the late-rounds that Veach hinted about. Pacheco is a downhill runner with good size, coming in at 5'10" and 215 pounds with a 4.37-second 40-yard dash. If the Chiefs start adding more duo and gap runs to their offense, Pacheco fits that like a glove. He can pass block, too, which is a great fit. I was not familiar with Johnson, however, he tested very well — which is the type of player you want to add so they can fit in on special teams.

Day Three Grade: A

Dec 25, 2020; Montgomery, AL, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) intercepts a pass intended for Buffalo Bulls wide receiver Jovany Ruiz (87) during the second half at Cramton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

TJ Scott: After an amazing first two days of drafting, Brett Veach and the rest of the Chiefs' front office carried that into Day Three with more impressive selections. Joshua Williams is a lengthy and strong cornerback who’s more than comfortable in man coverage. Adding more size and speed to that position is literally never a bad thing. 

Darian Kinnard is one of the most physically imposing and powerful blockers in this class at any offensive line position. He’s a mauler in the run game and has the potential to compete for the starting right tackle job right away — a very similar selection to Trey Smith in last year's draft. Jaylen Watson is yet another long and tall cornerback with powerful hands and good press coverage ability that the Chiefs have added. He has room to improve in his game but a good selection regardless.

Isiah Pacheco was an often-used and productive back at Rutgers for three seasons. He’s a fast and vertical runner with good strength and cutting ability. He certainly has the potential to develop into a third-down back for Kansas City, something you definitely like out of a seventh-round pick. Nazeeh Johnson is a defensive back who profiles more as a special-teamer with his speed and burst. If he can develop coverage skills, he could prove to be an above-average rotational safety.

Day Three Grade: A

Oct 23, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall (3) and Washington State Cougars defensive back Jaylen Watson (0) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. BYU won 21-19. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Van Sickle: Brett Veach did it again! Another small school cornerback with a big body, Joshua Williams should fit right in with what the Chiefs like to do on defense. Another “Big Boys Club” member added to the offensive line room? Yes please! Veach found another player who was projected to be a second- or third-round selection and got him in the fifth round. Darian Kinnard from Kentucky should compete for the starting right tackle job throughout camp and preseason.

Jaylen Watson is a cornerback that was projected to go in the sixth or seventh round but has the size and upside to potentially make the team. More depth in the secondary isn’t a bad thing. Isiah Pacheco is the running back Veach pulled the trigger to take. He is one of the fastest running backs in this draft class and looks like he lives in the weight room. While his collegiate production doesn’t stand out, he has the skill set to be a part of the running back room and contribute in the rotation.

I had never heard the name Nazeeh Johnson before the Chiefs selected him. Brett Veach had done his homework on him, though, and that’s all that matters. He's big safety who looks like he could be a special teams player with the potential to grow his role in the defense over time. This might be an insurance policy for Juan Thornhill, as he played in mostly deep safety looks. 

Day Three Grade: A

Mar 3, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers running back Isiah Pacheco talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Combine. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Foote: The Chiefs' 2022 draft haul was tremendous, and Veach did a solid job on Day Three as well. Joshua Williams is brimming with upside, and his frame is a perfect fit and makes him an ideal player to take a flyer on. Darian Kinnard slid for some odd reason, but the Chiefs capitalized and secured a player who the team expects to compete at right tackle immediately. Kansas City could've ended their final day selections there and still considered it a win of a haul.

Instead, Veach and company also added the trio of Jaylen Watson, Isiah Pacheco and Nazeeh Johnson into the fold. Watson needs quite a bit of work before he's ready to contribute, but his upside is undeniable. Pacheco projects to be a player who can play as soon as early in his rookie season, and Johnson very well could be a core-four special teams contributor if he latches on with the team. Overall, Veach had an A-grade draft — and his Day Three value was just as good.

Day Three Grade: A

Nov 18, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Roadrunners wide receiver Marquez McNair (4) dives for positive yard after a catch as Marshall Thundering Herd safety Nazeeh Johnson (center) and C.J. Reavis (right) defend during the first half at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Joshua Brisco: It's silly to evaluate a draft class immediately after the selections are made. We don't really know what they'll do at the next level, so it's all just projecting based on our priors. But good grief, what a draft, huh? 

The Chiefs continued their theme of selecting highly athletic players with room to grow while still largely being pro-ready, allowing them to potentially contribute to a Super Bowl-contending team in year one while restocking the cupboard with young talent on rookie contracts. I'm thrilled that the Chiefs landed a Veach/Spagnuolo special in Joshua Williams, an outrageously long corner who should shine in the Chiefs' system, and Isiah Pacheco has a chance to push for third-down work as a rookie with a larger role possible in the future. 

I would have preferred another EDGE or receiver in the fifth round when the Chiefs ultimately traded up for Darian Kinnard, who will likely need to play right tackle at the NFL level to outperform his draft slot. Leaving the draft without doubling down on pass-rushers or pass-catchers is a bit of a concern, but the Chiefs opted for an all-out secondary blitz instead. Overall, it's a foundational draft for the next era of Chiefs football.

Day Three Grade: B+

University of Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard speaks to the media during SEC Media Days at the Hyatt Regency in Hoover, Ala., Tuesday, July 20, 2021. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] Sec Media Days Kentucky