Chiefs Among Bottom of 2024 Rookie Class Grades

The Chiefs rank among the bottom of the league for their 2024 rookie class per NFL writer Gennaro Filice.

Apr 25, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy is selected as the No. 28 pick of the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We're almost a year removed from the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Kansas City Chiefs selected rookie phenom Xavier Worthy. As the season went on, Worthy only continued to improve for the Chiefs, proving to be a valuable asset especially after the injury to their star wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Although Worthy was an A+ pick, the rest of Kansas City's selections seemed to be rather forgettable. According to NFL.com deputy editor Gennaro Filice, the Chiefs ranked among the bottom of the league at 29th for their 2024 rookie class.

Filice attributed the low grade to the Chiefs' innability to fix their offensive line problems.

The left tackle spot was the constant issue Andy Reid had to scheme around. Second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia started the first two games in September but struggled so mightily he spent the rest of the season as a reserve, not playing a snap in the Super Bowl. No one’s saying Suamataia can’t take significant strides this offseason and re-emerge as a factor in Year 2, but he clearly wasn’t ready to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side in Year 1.

Gennaro Filice

The NFL draft consists of 7 rounds and 257 players will end up being selected. Yes, the Chiefs found a gem (and possibly their next WR1) in Xavier Worthy, but that one pick cannot compensate for the whiffs in the later rounds.

Suamataia was supposed to be the answer to Reid's left tackle problem, but he didn't pan out the way the Chiefs hoped he would. Testing him at both sides of the line, the Chiefs played Suamataia minimally, and he was never really able to find the field for long stretches of time.

The Chiefs eventually had to pivot and play Joe Thuney, a guard, on the left side. While there's no telling what leaps Suamataia will be able to make in the upcoming season, it's clear that he hasn't gained the trust of the Chiefs' front office, or of his quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

While the Chiefs didn't come away with nothing, this is going to be a draft that both head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach will want to forget. The Chiefs at least have to be happy with the production of Worthy, who's expected to make even bigger strides next year. While there's a lot that the Chiefs need to do to go back to their winning culture, the first will be hitting on their draft picks this year, and avoiding a repeat of 2024.