A system called the "common draft" was implemented for the AFL and NFL in 1967, creating a joint draft between the two leagues and establishing the precursor for what has become the marquee event of the offseason.
The two leagues merged in 1970, and the rest is history.
In the days and weeks leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we've been looking back at who the Kansas City Chiefs have selected in each round since the event's beginnings 54 years ago.
Here's a look at what we've covered so far:
We'll wrap up with the first round, which kicks off on Thursday night. Kansas City doesn't currently own a selection in the first round this year, as the Chiefs shipped the No. 31 overall pick to Baltimore in exchange for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. The Chiefs selected tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round (No. 32 overall) last year.
As of now, these are the selections Kansas City currently has for the 2021 Draft:
No. 58 (Round 2 – From Baltimore)
No. 63 (Round 2)
No. 144 (Round 4)
No. 175 (Round 5)
No. 181 (Round 5)
No. 207 (Round 6)
And here's a look at who the Chiefs have drafted in the first round since 1967:
2020 | Pick No. 32 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | LSU
2017 | Pick No. 10 | Patrick Mahomes | QB | Texas Tech
2015 | Pick No. 18 | Marcus Peters | CB | Washington
2014 | Pick No. 23 | Dee Ford | LB | Auburn
2013 | Pick No. 1 | Eric Fisher | T | Central Michigan
2012 | Pick No. 11 | Dontari Poe | DT | Memphis
2011 | Pick No. 26 | Jonathan Baldwin | WR | Pittsburgh
2010 | Pick No. 5 | Eric Berry | DB | Tennessee
2009 | Pick No. 3 | Tyson Jackson | DE | LSU
2008 | Pick No. 15 | Branden Albert | G | Virginia
2008 | Pick No. 5 | Glenn Dorsey | DT | LSU
2007 | Pick No. 23 | Dwayne Bowe | WR | LSU
2006 | Pick No. 20 | Tamba Hali | DE | Penn State
2005 | Pick No. 15 | Derrick Johnson | LB | Texas
2003 | Pick No. 27 | Larry Johnson | RB | Penn State
2002 | Pick No. 6 | Ryan Sims | DT | North Carolina
2000 | Pick No. 21 | Sylvester Morris | WR | Jackson State
1999 | Pick No. 14 | John Tait | T | BYU
1998 | Pick No. 27 | Victor Riley | T | Auburn
1997 | Pick No. 13 | Tony Gonzalez | TE | California
1996 | Pick No. 28 | Jerome Woods | DB | Memphis
1995 | Pick No. 31 | Trezelle Jenkins | T | Michigan
1994 | Pick No. 25 | Greg Hill | RB | Texas A&M
1992 | Pick No. 20 | Dale Carter | DB | Tennessee
1991 | Pick No. 21 | Harvey Williams | RB | LSU
1990 | Pick No. 13 | Percy Snow | LB | Michigan State
1989 | Pick No. 4 | Derrick Thomas | LB | Alabama
1988 | Pick No. 2 | Neil Smith | DE | Nebraska
1987 | Pick No. 19 | Paul Palmer | RB | Temple
1986 | Pick No. 7 | Brian Jozwiak | G | West Virginia
1985 | Pick No. 15 | Ethan Horton | TE | North Carolina
1984 | Pick No. 21 | John Alt | T | Iowa
1984 | Pick No. 5 | Bill Maas | NT | Pittsburgh
1983 | Pick No. 7 | Todd Blackledge | QB | Penn State
1982 | Pick No. 11 | Anthony Hancock | WR | Tennessee
1981 | Pick No. 14 | Willie Scott | TE | South Carolina
1980 | Pick No. 11 | Brad Budde | G | USC
1979 | Pick No. 23 | Steve Fuller | QB | Clemson
1979 | Pick No. 2 | Mike Bell | DE | Colorado State
1978 | Pick No. 2 | Art Still | DE | Kentucky
1977 | Pick No. 10 | Gary Green | DB | Baylor
1976 | Pick No. 14 | Rod Walters | G | Iowa
1974 | Pick No. 16 | Woody Green | RB | Arizona State
1972 | Pick No. 23 | Jeff Kinney | RB | Nebraska
1971 | Pick No. 16 | Elmo Wright | WR | Houston
1970 | Pick No. 26 | Sid Smith | C | USC
1969 | Pick No. 23 | Jim Marsalis | DB | Tennessee State
1968 | Pick No. 22 | George Daney | G | Texas - El Paso
1968 | Pick No. 19 | Mo Moorman | G | Texas A&M
1967 | Pick No. 24 | Gene Trosch | DE | Miami (FL)
Notes:
- All fifty of Kansas City's first-round picks since 1967 have gone on to suit up for the Chiefs.
- Fourteen of those 50 picks played in at least 100 games with Kansas City: tight end Tony Gonzalez (190), linebacker Derrick Johnson (182), offensive tackle John Alt (179), defensive end Tamba Hali (177), linebacker Derrick Thomas (169), defensive end Neil Smith, defensive end Art Still (136), defensive end Mike Bell (135), defensive back Jerome Woods (128), wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (118), offensive tackle Eric Fisher (117), nose tackle Bill Maas (116), defensive back Dale Carter (104) and defensive back Gary Green (100).
- Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is off to the greatest start for any quarterback in NFL history by several statistical measures. Through 46 career starts, Mahomes has the most touchdown passes (114), passing yards (14,152) and the highest passer rating (108.7) in NFL history.
- The Chiefs have a knack for drafting prolific pass rushers in the first round, as Thomas (126.5), Hali (89.5), Smith (85.5) and Still (73.0) are four of the top five sack artists in franchise history. Thomas was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
- Gonzalez, who finished his career with the most career catches (1,325), receiving yards (15,127), 100-yard receiving games (31) and second-most touchdowns (114) by a tight end in NFL history, was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
- Johnson owns the franchise mark for the most tackles (1,262) in team history.
- The Chiefs have selected more players from LSU (5) in the first round than any other school.
- Kansas City has drafted more offensive linemen (12) in the first round than any other position.
