The Chiefs have a vacancy at receiver after dealing Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. But they used two picks in the first round to improve their defense — trading up to No. 21 to select cornerback Trent McDuffie.
In a press conference after the conclusion of the first round, General Manager Brett Veach told reporters that Kansas City was surprised McDuffie was available once the picks got into the 20s.
“I think we were committed to being selectively aggressive, and if a player like a Trent McDuffie was there, ‘Hey, let’s go make a move and get him because he’s really good,” Veach said, via Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com. “Probably wouldn’t have been there at 29. We were surprised he was there when we selected him with New England’s pick, but I think that was our mindset going in, and we just followed the plan.”
Veach noted that McDuffie was one of a few corners the club had grouped after Derek Stingley and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who were both selected in the top five. Plus, beach figured — probably correctly — the Chiefs would have to jump the Bills to select the corner they wanted. Buffalo traded up from No. 25 to No. 23 to pick cornerback Kaiir Elam.
“We knew that was coming,” Veach said. “We had called teams — I believe the pick before and the pick after — of the New England trade, just to put ourselves in the position. The way the board was falling and knowing that we’re picking real late in this draft here, and the odds of a guy like McDuffie being at 21, let alone 29, were very low, so we just thought it was the right time to make that move.”
Veach noted that McDuffie is the kind of player who can be a Day One starter. The Chiefs may need him to do so after Charvarius Ward elected to sign with the 49ers in free agency.