The third round of the NFL Draft has been pretty good to the Kansas City Chiefs over the years.
When looking at the current roster, there's no need to look any further than Justin Houston, Jamaal Charles, Allen Bailey, Travis Kelce and Dustin Colquitt as to what that round has meant to this team's success.
There are 10 combined Pro Bowls between those five players, who each had at least 62 players selected before them in their respective drafts. They all signed multi-year contract extensions to stay in Kansas City for at least the majority of their careers as well.
Going back a few years, the franchise's latest Pro Football Hall of Famer, Will Shields, was also a third-round selection and the No. 74 overall pick in the 1993 draft.
Here's a look at some of the third-round picks in Chiefs history:
Third Round Picks in Chiefs History
Year
Pick
Player
POS
College
2013
63
Travis Kelce
TE
Cincinnati
2011
70
Justin Houston
LB
Georgia
2011
86
Allen Bailey
DE
Miami (FL)
2008
73
Jamaal Charles
RB
Texas
2005
99
Dustin Colquitt
P
Tennessee
1999
75
Gary Stills
DE
West Virginia
1993
74
Will Shields
G
Nebraska
1983
61
Albert Lewis
DB
Grambling St.
1978
58
Gary Spani
LB
Kansas St.
1976
74
Gary Barbaro
DB
Nicholls St.
1976
79
Henry Marshall
WR
Missouri
Heading into the 2016 draft, the Chiefs were without a third-round pick and had just two total picks within the first 125 selections.
After a couple of key trades early in the draft from general manager John Dorsey, the Chiefs walked away with five picks in the first 126, including a third-rounder (No. 74 overall).
Coincidentally, the third-round pick the Chiefs acquired in the trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the same slot that Shields was selected back in 1993, and Shields would announce the pick on the NFL Network.
The Chiefs picked Notre Dame defensive back KeiVarae Russell with that pick.
Russell is a versatile and talented defensive back that many believe was a steal for the Chiefs in the third round.
It's probably not fair to put the kind of expectations on Russell that we've seen over the years with some of the picks the Chiefs have made in the third round, but he's not worried about that right now.
"I'm the first one (in my family) to graduate high school, first one to go to college and the first one to get my degree," Russell, who has one semester left before graduating with a degree in business from Notre Dame, said to reporters after being selected. "So, this is something big. That is why it is so special – just being drafted is changing my family's circumstances and being able to play the game that I loved since I was a kid."
Russell was recently featured on ESPN’s “Sports Science" as he works his way back from a broken leg he suffered last season, and based on their results, he's looking pretty good.
Only time will tell if Russell is next in line for an organization with a rich history of finding success in the third round of the draft.
It all begins this weekend as Russell and his fellow 2016 draftees, undrafted free agents and a handful of guys trying out participate in the Chiefs rookie minicamp, which begins on Saturday and runs through Monday.
We'll have full coverage at Chiefs.com.
A look at noteworthy third round selections in franchise history.
DL Allen Bailey, Miami (2011)
DB Gary Barbaro, Nicholls St. (1976)
RB Jamaal Charles, Texas (2008)
DL Justin Houston, Georgia (2011)
WR Henry Marshall, Missouri (1976)
P Dustin Colquitt, Tennessee (2005)
TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati (2013)
DB Albert Lewis, Grambling St. (1983)
OL Will Shields, Nebraska (1993)
DL Gary Stills, West Virginia (1999)
LB Gary Spani, Kansas St. (1978)
