Chiefs GM Predicts Surge in NFL Draft Trades

Trade activity at the upcoming NFL Draft could be higher than usual , Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach said on Thursday, pointing to how teams are evaluating the 2024 class.

Veach said the expectation of more deals is tied to a draft board landscape that lacks clear separation at the top. He described a class without the kind of elite, consensus prospects that typically anchor early selections, and said the grading gap among a broad group of players across multiple positions is relatively small. With many prospects clustered closely in evaluations, he indicated teams may be more willing to move up or down to match their preferences and maximize value.

According to Veach, this year differs from some recent drafts because it does not feature multiple quarterbacks carrying top-end grades, nor does it include dominant defensive players at the very top of the board. Instead, he said a large set of prospects are tightly rated, including offensive tackles, defensive ends, and wide receivers.

In his view, that kind of compressed ranking can make the draft more fluid, as teams may see similar value across a range of picks and choose to trade to target specific fits.

The Chiefs enter the draft holding two first-round selections, at ninth and 29th overall, positioning them to be involved if the market for trades develops as Veach anticipates. He has previously executed both pre-draft and in-draft moves, and he cited a notable example from 2022 when Kansas City traded up to select cornerback Trent McDuffie. Veach’s comments suggest the team is prepared to consider similar maneuvering if it aligns with its board.

Veach said Kansas City’s current draft board includes about 215 prospects. Within that group, the club is focused on identifying a smaller set of priority targets, with an emphasis on securing roughly 10 to 15 players it values most. He framed that approach as a way to stay flexible in a draft where many players are graded closely and where trade opportunities could emerge quickly.

While Veach outlined why he expects a more active trade environment, the final pace of deals will still depend on how other teams’ boards align once selections begin. The draft is scheduled for next week, and Veach said the combination of fewer clear top-tier standouts and tighter grades across positions could make it one of the more dynamic editions in recent memory.