List of Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft picks

[6] The team was founded in 1959 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt, and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL).

[17] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks.

Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker.

[22] Beginning in the 1961 draft, the AFL, using the same system as the NFL, began to assign picks based on the previous season's standings.

[29] The Chiefs used additional first-round picks in the 1960s to select Don Meredith and Ronnie Bull, who also chose to sign with the NFL instead.

Patrick Mahomes jogging in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform while carrying his helmet.
Patrick Mahomes was drafted 10th overall in the 2017 NFL draft . [ 1 ] Since becoming the team's starting quarterback in 2018 , Mahomes has been the league's Most Valuable Player twice (2018 and 2022), the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year , a three-time All-Pro , a six-time Pro Bowler , and the 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year . [ 2 ] [ 1 ] [ 3 ] Mahomes has also played in four Super Bowls , three of which the Chiefs won ( LIV , LVII , LVIII ), and earned Super Bowl MVP in each victory. [ 4 ] [ 5 ]
Tony Gonzalez smiling in a Pro Bowl jersey.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez was drafted 13th overall by the Chiefs in the 1997 NFL draft . [ 32 ] Gonzales was a 14-time Pro Bowler , 10-time All-Pro , and finished his career with the most receptions and receiving yards by a tight end in history. [ 33 ] [ 34 ] He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2018, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019, and was also selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team . [ 33 ] [ 34 ] [ 35 ]
Eric Fisher in a Kansas City Chiefs helmet and uniform while on an NFL field.
Eric Fisher was drafted first overall by the Chiefs in 2013 . He played eight seasons for the team, during which time he was a two-time Pro Bowler . [ 36 ]
Eric Berry in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform and holding his helmet.
Eric Berry is a defensive back who was selected 5th overall in 2010 . [ 37 ] He spent his whole career with the Chiefs, during which time he was a three-time first-time All-Pro , five-time Pro Bowler , and was selected to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team . [ 37 ] [ 38 ] Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in late 2014 and, after undergoing chemotherapy in the offseason and being declared cancer free, came back for the 2015 season . [ 39 ] [ 40 ] He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors the two seasons following his diagnosis and won the 2015 Comeback Player of the Year Award . [ 40 ]