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Can the Chiefs Continue Their Success With Third-Round Picks?

The third round has been very good to the Chiefs over the years

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.

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