As long as Patrick Mahomes is their starting quarterback, the Kansas City Chiefs will probably make a lot of noise in the winter every year. That’s just the name of the game when pro football’s best player is on your roster while being coached by the genius Andy Reid.
However, as one recent statistical analysis shows, Kansas City’s run to Super Bowl 57 was largely aided by a very impactful 2022 draft class. If the Chiefs are capable of stockpiling young talent around a QB who won’t be even 28 years old until next September: their dominance is all but virtually guaranteed to continue.
Just look at the below charts. Not only did the Chiefs have the most games played by rookies during the 2022 season, those same rookies also generated the third-most approximate value (AV) on the field. The next-closest legit contender on the AV front was the Cincinnati Bengals — in 13th with roughly 10 fewer points!
The Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl in part due to having the most games played from rookies this past season and the 3rd highest approximate value generated from their most recent draft class pic.twitter.com/OV5RgKVVm1
— SumerSports (@sumersports) February 5, 2023
Of those Chiefs rookies garnering valuable playing time, first-rounders George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie are both starters on defense. Meanwhile, skill position players like Isiah Pachecho (drafted in the seventh round!) continue to make a notable offensive impact.
Regardless of what happens this Sunday, it’s pretty hard to argue that the Chiefs won’t continue putting their best foot forward as the NFL’s unquestioned kings. Mahomes and their new young(er) players simply won’t let them.
