A sneak peek at one of our Arrowhead Pride Premier articles ahead of NFL Draft weekend.
The article below is from the April 12 edition of our newsletter, “Arrowhead Pride Premier.” Subscribe here, using the promo code DRAFTPICK32 during sign-up, and we’ll give you 32% off your subscription. Plus, you’ll enjoy a 7-day free trial period, so you can experience AP Premier on draft weekend firsthand before making any commitments.
Here’s what you can expect over the weekend as part of your free trial:
- Draft Night Coverage: I’ll be sharing notes and nuggets from the Chiefs’ facility at One Arrowhead Drive
- 3-Peat Series: Ron Kopp answers reader questions — and Rocky Magaña tells you why he loves (or hates) Kansas City’s top selection.
- Post-Draft Analysis: Jon Ledyard and our in-house analysts discuss the top prospects for the Chiefs going forward.
The offseason arrives much faster when you play in the Super Bowl seemingly every year. It’s the NFL’s version of a good problem to have, as the world champion Kansas City Chiefs suddenly find themselves in the thick of draft preparation.
With that in mind, I thought I would share what it’s like to cover the draft from inside the Chiefs’ building. Let’s dive in:
We won’t be in Detroit because there is no reason to be there.
I think the greatest misconception regarding coverage of the NFL Draft is that, like away games or Super Bowl, all team reporters travel to that city for coverage.
We all don’t. We are all at the team’s facility, where the general manager’s war room is set up.
I arrive at Kansas City’s facility around 6 p.m. Arrowhead Time on Thursday, just an hour before the draft begins. I am among approximately eight to 10 other media members, which includes writers from the Kansas City Star, The Athletic and local television and radio stations.
At that point, as has become the custom in the Patrick Mahomes era (titles mean the Chiefs pick last), we sit. And sit, and sit and sit until about pick No. 18, which is the beginning of the range of where the Chiefs could trade up to select a player in the first round.
If there is no trade-up (or down), the Chiefs’ pick eventually will come at No. 32, and when it does, we will post about it on social media before writing about the pick as quickly as we can.
About 15-20 minutes later, Kansas City’s public relations staff will set up a phone call or Zoom with the player so that we can write stories and provide insight where it’s necessary.
Shortly after that, head coach Andy Reid will head downstairs from the war room to speak about the pick, and general manager Brett Veach will do the same about 20 minutes later.
Veach speaks on the player, the Day 1 strategic process and what’s to come.
That’s the last time we will speak to Brett Veach until after the NFL Draft.
After what is a late night (especially for Kansas City reporters), we’re back at it at the facility again on Friday afternoon in the media room. Rounds 2 and 3 take place Friday evening.
I call this period of the draft, alert waiting. Unlike Round 1, where there is a likely range in which the Chiefs would trade up, they can trade into any pick when Round 2 begins.
Once they do pick a player, the same process continues. The communication team connects us with the player, then we speak to a representative from the team. Last year, on Day 2, we spoke to assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi.
This is good for us because it provides us with another perspective on the players drafted. The team likes it for Borgonzi to get some media experience. After all, he aspires to become a general manager himself, and media relations is a big part of that.
We take everything we learned and then share it with you all, both on the website and these newsletter pages.
The weekend includes more than just draft talk.
The time of the interview varies, but at some point during the weekend, owner and CEO Clark Hunt will speak to us, usually following the announcement of the Chiefs’ Hall of Honor inductee for that year. Last year, it was Dante Hall.
Hunt will talk to us about a range of topics, and the inductee will speak about his career and is usually overwhelmed by the idea of his name being up in the rafters at Arrowhead Stadium forever.
Rounds 4 to 7 happen on Saturday, and we continue to talk to players. On Saturday, however, rather than the prominent decision-makers, we get individual scouts. It is always fun to see how passionate a given scout is about his player, and the scout is usually very happy that he was drafted by the Chiefs.
A player can’t pay off for a scout in terms of a promotion unless you’ve convinced your GM well enough to select him.
I can’t close this without telling you that the food spread is always outstanding during draft weekend. Hunt and the team keep us well-fed as we share news and analysis about all the newest players you’ll be watching on Sundays.
If you liked what you read, subscribe here, using the promo code DRAFTPICK32 during sign-up, and we’ll give you 32% off your subscription.