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.
Over the last three weeks leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft, we've taken a look back at who the Kansas City Chiefs have selected in each round since the event's beginnings 52 years ago.
For a look at all of the Chiefs' selections in this year's draft, click here.
Here is what we've covered so far:
We'll wrap up this series with the first round, where the Chiefs currently own the No. 29 overall pick in this year's draft. There have been plenty of notable players selected with that exact pick in NFL history, including Oakland Raiders' offensive guard Steve Wisniewski (No. 29 in 1989), New York Jets' center Nick Mangold (No. 29 in 2006) and Minnesota Vikings' safety Harrison Smith (No. 29 in 2012).
The Chiefs didn't have a pick in the first round last year, as the selection was part of the trade that landed quarterback Patrick Mahomes a year prior. As General Manager Brett Veach said last week, it ended up being a pretty good deal.
Here's a look at who the Chiefs have drafted in the first round since 1967:
| YEAR | PICK | PLAYER | POSITION | GAMES WITH KC | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 10 | Patrick Mahomes | QB | 17 | Texas Tech |
| 2015 | 18 | Marcus Peters | CB | 45 | Washington |
| 2014 | 23 | Dee Ford | LB | 67 | Auburn |
| 2013 | 1 | Eric Fisher | T | 94 | Central Michigan |
| 2012 | 11 | Dontari Poe | DT | 78 | Memphis |
| 2011 | 26 | Jonathan Baldwin | WR | 26 | Pittsburgh |
| 2010 | 5 | Eric Berry | DB | 89 | Tennessee |
| 2009 | 3 | Tyson Jackson | DE | 74 | LSU |
| 2008 | 15 | Branden Albert | G | 85 | Virginia |
| 2008 | 5 | Glenn Dorsey | DT | 66 | LSU |
| 2007 | 23 | Dwayne Bowe | WR | 118 | LSU |
| 2006 | 20 | Tamba Hali | DE | 177 | Penn State |
| 2005 | 15 | Derrick Johnson | LB | 182 | Texas |
| 2003 | 27 | Larry Johnson | RB | 75 | Penn State |
| 2002 | 6 | Ryan Sims | DT | 59 | North Carolina |
| 2000 | 21 | Sylvester Morris | WR | 15 | Jackson State |
| 1999 | 14 | John Tait | T | 75 | BYU |
| 1998 | 27 | Victor Riley | T | 48 | Auburn |
| 1997 | 13 | Tony Gonzalez | TE | 190 | California |
| 1996 | 28 | Jerome Woods | DB | 128 | Memphis |
| 1995 | 31 | Trezelle Jenkins | T | 9 | Michigan |
| 1994 | 25 | Greg Hill | RB | 63 | Texas A&M |
| 1992 | 20 | Dale Carter | DB | 104 | Tennessee |
| 1991 | 21 | Harvey Williams | RB | 35 | LSU |
| 1990 | 13 | Percy Snow | LB | 30 | Michigan State |
| 1989 | 4 | Derrick Thomas | LB | 169 | Alabama |
| 1988 | 2 | Neil Smith | DE | 138 | Nebraska |
| 1987 | 19 | Paul Palmer | RB | 27 | Temple |
| 1986 | 7 | Brian Jozwiak | G | 28 | West Virginia |
| 1985 | 15 | Ethan Horton | TE | 16 | North Carolina |
| 1984 | 21 | John Alt | T | 179 | Iowa |
| 1984 | 5 | Bill Maas | NT | 116 | Pittsburgh |
| 1983 | 7 | Todd Blackledge | QB | 40 | Penn State |
| 1982 | 11 | Anthony Hancock | WR | 59 | Tennessee |
| 1981 | 14 | Willie Scott | TE | 72 | South Carolina |
| 1980 | 11 | Brad Budde | G | 92 | USC |
| 1979 | 23 | Steve Fuller | QB | 52 | Clemson |
| 1979 | 2 | Mike Bell | DE | 135 | Colorado State |
| 1978 | 2 | Art Still | DE | 136 | Kentucky |
| 1977 | 10 | Gary Green | DB | 100 | Baylor |
| 1976 | 14 | Rod Walters | G | 52 | Iowa |
| 1974 | 16 | Woody Green | RB | 28 | Arizona State |
| 1972 | 23 | Jeff Kinney | RB | 50 | Nebraska |
| 1971 | 16 | Elmo Wright | WR | 45 | Houston |
| 1970 | 26 | Sid Smith | C | 42 | USC |
| 1969 | 23 | Jim Marsalis | DB | 78 | Tennessee State |
| 1968 | 22 | George Daney | G | 97 | Texas - El Paso |
| 1968 | 19 | Mo Moorman | G | 72 | Texas A&M |
| 1967 | 24 | Gene Trosch | DE | 27 | Miami (FL) |
Notes:
- All forty-nine of Kansas City's first-round picks since 1967 have gone on to suit up for the Chiefs, playing in a combined 3,799 contests.
- 13 of those 49 picks played 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), nose tackle Bill Maas (116), defensive back Dale Carter (104) and defensive back Gary Green (100).
- 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.
- Another player that will find themselves in the Hall of Fame this summer is 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.
- Speaking of records, Johnson owns the mark for the most tackles (1,262) in franchise history.
- The Chiefs have selected more players from LSU (4) in the first round than any other school.
- Kansas City has drafted more offensive linemen (12) in the first round than any other position.
