2 Strategies Chiefs Employ To Tackle Scouting Combine

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There’s more than one way to skin a pig.

Pigskins in Kansas City since the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017 have found their way to their end zone 431 times. That’s seven more scrimmage touchdowns than any other NFL team during those nine years. The Chiefs have won three of five Super Bowl appearances largely by drafting well – especially on Days 2 and 3.

“We have to execute an efficient game plan in free agency,” general manager Brett Veach said from the combine Tuesday, “and then we got to nail all these picks. And that'll be important for us to keep this run going.”

The Chiefs have six picks as of now, with a potential seventh coming next month as a compensatory award largely due to the loss of free-agent Justin Reid.

nohl william — Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Nohl Williams (20) defends during the first half against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

And this week in Indianapolis, Veach noticeably perked up when discussing exciting prospects the Chiefs are eyeing for Rounds 2-7. Veach has drafted well in those rounds, indeed, but he’s also excited to have a shot at the types of players he hasn’t been able to get on Days 2 and 3.

Unlike prior years, the Chiefs will have that shot this year because their 6-11 record in 2025 gave them an earlier pick in each round. On Tuesday, Veach offered two significant strategies the Chiefs use to restack their board at the combine.

The nightly meetings with prospects

Veach provided a peek inside his nightly 20-minute formal meetings with prospects at the Indianapolis Crowne Plaza, noting each position group takes on a different approach because the player’s information processing changes.

“Now, look,” Veach said Tuesday, “this is only 20 minutes, so we're not going to throw a kid up there or kill a kid, but it's a start. And then you have your informal time. Here, you have potentially formal time. You have Zoom opportunities now. And then you have in-house, your 30 visits, and our coaches go visit them. So, I think sometimes when there's a question, I don't think anything's determined here. I think it's part of the process.”

Veach said the Chiefs kicked off formal meetings Monday night pleasantly surprised by two of the players.

“Just some of the football-knowledge stuff we weren't sure on, and they kind of nailed it, and we were really impressed. And it’s only 20 minutes. On the other side there, we're going to make sure that that is what it is.”

david baile — Oct 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker David Bailey (31) reacts as he walks off the field following the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Preparation, preparation, preparation

“Immense preparation is what it is, 18 months of it for every player. And sometimes, as Veach noted, underclassmen in January give notice that they’re returning to school rather than declare for the draft. That meant this year the Chiefs had to remove 25 players from their top 100 draft board, Veach said.

“But our college scouts do a great job,” he said, “of painting the picture and having me, the coaching staff, everyone in that room prepped for, ‘Here’s the player and here's the background situation, here's where he's from and here are the things.’

“Some of these guys are smart; they just don't articulate it well. So, it's just seeing the whole puzzle, the pieces come together. And like I said, I don't think we take a bunch of names off, but it's just a pathway to keep digging and getting as much information as possible.”

Chiefs Kingdom, the scouting combine is ripping and running, but it’s not too late to combine the best Chiefs analysis with the best news. Be sure to sign up for our FREE newsletter with fresh info emailed each day … SIGN UP HERE NOW.