Chiefs Select Felix Anudike-Uzomah With No. 31 Overall Pick
The first night of the 2023 NFL Draft saw plenty of surprises over the first 15-plus picks, paving the way for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs to make a considerable trade up the draft board and select one of their top-graded players. That didn't end up being the case, though, as a run on wide receivers occurred and general manager Brett Veach ultimately opted to stay put at the end of the first round.
With that final selection in round one, the franchise opted to bring in a prospect that many fans are already familiar with. Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a Chief.
Anudike-Uzomah, who played all three of his collegiate seasons at Kansas State, had 20.5 sacks and 97 tackles over the course of his career. The 21-year-old defensive end prospect is a player who projects to fill in a rotation that already features 2022 first-round pick George Karlaftis and veteran offseason signing Charles Omenihu. Anudike-Uzomah was the 31st overall pick — the same selection that came true — in my Arrowhead Report Chiefs Mock 2.0, with the reasoning behind the pick being outlined below.
A local prospect who played at (somewhat) nearby Kansas State University, Felix Anudike-Uzomah is one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's EDGE class. The 6-foot-3, 255-pounder weighed in a bit heavier than expected at the NFL Combine and has 331/2-inch arms that fit Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's preferences. Anudike-Uzomah offers upside as an athletic speed rusher and is something different than what Kansas City typically opts for in its high-snap players. The value at 31st overall isn't great as-is on my board but if the former Wildcat can continue to add strength and improve as a pass-rushing threat, it's completely fine.
Anudike-Uzomah tested well in the pre-draft process and has an athletic profile that likely caught the eyes of Kansas City's front office, coaching staff and scouting department. He wasn't always used in the right ways with the Wildcats and sometimes didn't receive suitable opportunities to showcase his toolbox as a pass rusher one-on-one on the outside. That raised speculation that he could have some additional upside at the NFL level, which factors into the overall value of this selection. Below is a brief analysis from the Sports Illustrated Draft Bible's scouting report:
A productive and refined pass rusher, Felix Anudike-Uzomah can see the field early on passing downs thanks to his advanced hand usage, excellent understanding of leverage, and well-rounded athletic profile; that said, the Kansas State rusher has inconsistent power and will be a liability in run defense early.
