The Kansas City Chiefs selected Kansas State DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah at pick No. 31 in the 2023 NFL draft.
Below you will find the Chiefs Wire staff’s reactions, grades and initial thoughts for this pick:
Charles Goldman's grade: A-
From right around pick No. 22 all the way through pick No. 30, things went as poorly as they possibly could with Kansas City. I credit the Chiefs for staying true to their draft board and going after a position where there was still some value left. Adding a player who is from the area when the draft is in Kansas City — it’s a great story. It also feels like it could be a bit of a gimmick.
The thing I might like most about this pick is that Anudike-Uzomah is only 21 years old, so you’re going to see a ton of growth from this player as time goes on. He plays with a ton of urgency and relentlessness, which you know got the attention of Steve Spagnuolo and Joe Cullen.
I think he can come in and have just as much production and playtime as George Karlaftis did a season ago. He’ll give the Chiefs a greater depth of talent at the edge rusher position with Mike Danna slated to be a free agent in 2024. It balances a bit of immediate need after Frank Clark’s departure with looking ahead to future needs as well.
John Dillon's grade: B-
Anudike-Uzomah is a bit of a reach at the 31st overall selection, but a productive rookie season could silence all critics of the Chiefs’ decision to draft him with the last pick in the first round of the 2023 draft. His sack production at Kansas State was too enticing for Brett Veach and company to pass up, and as a Kansas City native, he should have no problem settling in with his new team.
Wildcat fans are sure to be relieved by this selection, which will keep one of the most prolific defenders in Kansas State football history close to home for the first four years of his NFL career. Anudike-Uzomah will need to work hard to develop a more dynamic hand-fighting repertoire and could stand to put on some weight before training camp, but has plenty of upside to make a difference for the Chiefs in 2023.
To be totally honest, I’m not in love with this pick, but I respect it. Kansas City needs to continue improving on defense, and plenty of wide receivers and linemen remain. Watch for the Chiefs to upgrade their offense on Day 2 after taking this talented pass rusher in the first round.
Wesley Roesch's grade: B+
This is a good pick. We can sit here and talk all day about value or speculate that the Chiefs could have traded down and possibly still landed Anudike-Uzomah, but those things don’t really matter. The Chiefs had him as their best player on their board and they took him, and the Chiefs were also No. 1 on Anudike-Uzomah’s board as well.
What I love about FAU is that, well, he’s got that dog in him. The dude has a crazy motor and a passion for getting after the quarterback, and thankfully he has the bend, agility and length to go along with it. He still has some developing to do, but the great thing is that he’s shown steady improvement every year and is only 21 years old.
In year one, I expect FAU to earn playing time in a rotational role. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start off quiet and then explode later in the season as he begins to grasp the speed of the game and soak up the new techniques from coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive line coach Joe Cullen.
Nick Roesch's grade: B-
I would love to know which players the Chiefs would have rather been able to trade up for, because we know they tried. I don’t dislike the selection of Anudike-Uzomah, but it does feel like the Chiefs had to settle for him rather than being able to get their guy.
That’s how it goes sometimes, especially when you pick at the end of the round. Anudike-Uzomah is a fine value at No. 31 and could certainly develop into a quality starting DE. He’s explosive off the line of scrimmage and has a nice bend around the edge. He’s also young enough to where he could still grow into his frame and add some strength.
The fail to trade up and the Bengals, Bills and Chargers making good picks ahead of the Chiefs did sting a bit. All said and done; however, EDGE was a top need for the Chiefs and they addressed it with a quality player.
