Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, the Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2024 NFL Draft with strategic focus, aiming to replenish their roster and build on their championship success. The Chiefs managed their draft picks shrewdly, addressing key areas to enhance both their offensive firepower and defensive depth. Here’s a detailed breakdown of their selections:

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas – Round 1, Pick 28 (from Bills)

The Chiefs kicked off their draft by selecting Xavier Worthy, the fastest player at this year’s combine, with a record 4.21-second 40-yard dash. Worthy is expected to fill the void left by departing deep threats Mecole Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. His impressive collegiate performance at Texas, boasting an average of 66 catches and over 900 yards per season, suggests he will be a vital addition to the Chiefs’ receiving corps alongside Hollywood Brown.

Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU – Round 2, Pick 63 (from 49ers)

Kansas City chose Kingsley Suamataia in the second round, a versatile lineman capable of playing left tackle-a position left open with Donovan Smith unsigned. Suamataia could also provide a valuable swing option if right tackle Jawaan Taylor continues to struggle.

Jared Wiley, TE, TCU – Round 4, Pick 131

In the fourth round, the Chiefs added Jared Wiley, a tight end from TCU known for his impressive 4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash and reliable hands. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 249 pounds, Wiley’s physical attributes and minimal drop rate make him a promising addition for rotational tight end duties and a potential future contributor to the team’s offensive schemes.

Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State – Round 4, Pick 133 (compensatory selection from Bills)

Just two picks later, Kansas City secured Jaden Hicks, a highly-regarded safety from Washington State. Known for his solid size and exceptional game tape, Hicks is expected to fit well into any defensive scheme and develop into a starting safety under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State – Round 5, Pick 159 (from Cowboys)

With their fifth-round pick, the Chiefs drafted Hunter Nourzad, an interior lineman from Penn State. Nourzad’s versatility and experience across multiple positions on the offensive line make him a valuable asset for Kansas City, potentially backing up all three interior spots.

Kamal Hadden, CB, Tennessee – Round 6, Pick 211 (compensatory selection from 49ers)

Kansas City added depth to their secondary by selecting Kamal Hadden, a cornerback from Tennessee, in the sixth round. Despite lacking top-end speed, Hadden’s coverage skills and ball production have been highly rated, making him a suitable candidate for zone coverage schemes.

C.J. Hanson, G, Holy Cross – Round 7, Pick 248 (from Bills)

In the final round, the Chiefs picked C.J. Hanson, a guard from Holy Cross. With 38 college starts under his belt, Hanson’s quickness in the run game could be an asset. However, he will need to strengthen his pass protection skills to contend with NFL-level competition.

The Kansas City Chiefs‘ approach to the 2024 draft reflects a blend of immediate impact players and developmental prospects, aiming to sustain their championship-level performance while preparing for future challenges.

The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a pair of pressing needs. After addressing those spots in the first two rounds, general manager Brett Veach rounded out the roster with plenty of talent for the upcoming season.

In navigating the board on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Kansas City landed on a good handful of players for this year. As the franchise chases a championship three-peat, some of these first-year players will play critical roles down the stretch. Not everyone will factor into the club’s 2024 plans, but everyone has a chance to fit into the long-term roster math.

With the draft in the rearview mirror, Arrowhead Report on SI.com is recapping the Chiefs’ 2024 draft haul below and keeping track of the undrafted free agent market. Prospects who didn’t get picked are free to latch on with NFL clubs as early as Saturday, and UDFA news will be rolling in.

This story will be continually updated.

Kansas City Chiefs UDFA Tracker

Saturday UDFA news

Recapping the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 NFL Draft picks

Round 1: Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas)

By adding Worthy into the fold, Kansas City gets much faster and more explosive. The Texas product will play a role on offense and special teams as a rookie, helping give Patrick Mahomes another option and providing Dave Toub with a standout returner. The four-spot trade up the board was deemed worth it, as the pick was met with rave reviews.

Round 2: Kingsley Suamataia (OT, BYU)

This selection somehow received even more praise than the Worthy one. Suamataia was a multi-year starter at BYU and has experience on both sides of the offensive line. His blend of youth, athleticism and upside makes him a possible long-term solution at left tackle. At the very least, this is a player who should push Wanya Morris in the spring and summer. Many would’ve been happy with Suamataia at the end of round one.

Round 4: Jared Wiley (TE, TCU)

With Travis Kelce aging and there not being a can’t-miss piece behind him, adding a high-level athlete on Day 3 made great sense. Wiley is a smooth mover at the tight end position and has considerable upside despite being on the older side. He could very well make the roster and get on the field as a rookie, even while having three players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Round 4: Jaden Hicks (S, Washington State)

Let’s get this out of the way: Kansas City didn’t have a pressing need at the safety position. With that said, Hicks very well may have been the best player left on the board when he was picked. That, combined with his chess-piece style and high IQ, makes it a perfectly fine pick. The Washington State product will factor into the secondary rotation as a rookie if all pans out well.

Round 5: Hunter Nourzad (iOL, Penn State)

The Chiefs were expected to entertain adding an interior offensive lineman this year, which is exactly what they did on Day 3. Nourzad is a well-versed lineman with experience at just about every position. That’ll come in handy during his professional tenure as he looks to latch on with the champs. Nourzad is just as much of a guard as he is a center prospect.

Round 6: Kamal Hadden (CB, Tennessee)

The second of Kansas City’s secondary picks on Saturday, Hadden has the requisite linear athleticism, size and pedigree to be a Veach special. The former Tennessee cornerback has been held back by injuries recently but said on Saturday afternoon that his shoulder has progressed well. If he can participate in OTAs and training camp, don’t be surprised to hear the competitive corner’s name in the mix later on.

Round 7: C.J. Hanson (OG, Holy Cross)

Veach and Co. capped off their 2024 haul by bringing in an older, experienced interior offensive line prospect. Hanson is a very nice athlete with good open-field movement skills and fluidity. With Trey Smith’s soon due for a contract extension, this could be a forward-thinking move taking place on Day 3 of the draft.

Read More: Chiefs Tried to Trade Higher Than 28th for Xavier Worthy

TOPEKA — Republican members of the Kansas Senate crushed with a boot heel Friday an attempt to breathe life into legislation creating the state regulatory framework for cultivation, distribution and use of medical cannabis.

The Senate has been the stumbling block since the Kansas House approved a medical marijuana bill in 2021 that wasn’t allowed to come to a vote by Senate leadership.

In 2023, a bill was introduced in the Senate to make cannabis products available for medical use. Senate Bill 135 received two days of hearings in the 2023 session, but was idled by Senate Republicans.

Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, offered a written motion calling for that bill to be withdrawn from the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee and transferred to the full Senate for possible debate and votes.

“Someday this is going to be law in this state,” Olson said. “I would like to put it into law with good boundaries, and this bill does that.”

The vote on pulling that bill forward was 12-25 failure. It was well short of 24 necessary to force a bill to the Senate floor. A separate vote would have been necessary to determine whether the Senate bypassed leadership’s opposition to formal debate on the medical marijuana bill left to collect dust for more than a year.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, said it was frustrating GOP lawmakers again stood in the way of legislation that would enable Kansas veterans and people with serious health conditions from attempting to benefit from legal consumption of marijuana products. The fate of Olson’s attempt to compel action on a medical marijuana bill confirmed political challenges confronting marijuana advocates, she said.

“Over the past three weeks, scores of Kansans have reached out to their senators voicing support for medical cannabis as they have done for nearly the past decade,” Holscher said. “Sadly, supporters have faced many hurdles on this important measure.”

In March, separate legislation was introduced in the Kansas Legislature that would allow medical marijuana sales through a multiyear pilot program. There was a Senate committee hearing on that bill, which was opposed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies. The Kansas Cannabis Chamber of Commerce also criticized the pilot program concept.

Senators on that committee decided to table the measure, which effectively killed it. With days left in the 2024 session, the failed motion by Olson put an explanation point on another year of consternation for cannabis advocates.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has endorsed the concept of making medicinal sales legal in Kansas. She’s also said the state wasn’t ready for recreational sales. Kansas is bracketed by Colorado and Missouri — border states offering legal medicinal and recreational marijuana to consumers.