Ranking Kansas City Chiefs draft picks by year one impact

Who's excited to see the Kansas City Chiefs rookies on the field? We won't be seeing anything until the KC Chiefs rookie minicamp on May 24. At that point, we'll begin to get an idea of which draft pick lines up where and how the Kansas City Chiefs will be using them.

Before the Chiefs tell us who will be playing where and how much (they won't tell us how much), I took a stab at ranking the Chiefs players by their year one impact. The one whose presence will be felt the most in his rookie year.

Here's what I came up with. Put your list in the comments.

1. Oregon RB De'Anthony Thomas (Round 4)

Thomas possesses the skill-set where he can contribute on the return team right away. Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub has to love this. I would expect him at some point to be the top punt returner with Knile Davis handling kick returns. Thomas can also be worked into the offensive game plan with the Chiefs working him into certain packages. Jamaal Charles and DAT on the field at the same time? Oh my. Andy Reid will carve out a role for him like he did with Dexter McCluster, who had his best year under Reid and Toub.

Andy Reid on De'Anthony Thomas "He'll have more impact on Special Teams quicker than he will on the Offense"

— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810) May 13, 2014

2. Auburn LB Dee Ford (Round 1)

Ford is the Chiefs top pick but he's not the top player listed here because he has two starters in front of him -- Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. Ford will play in his first year but possibly only in certain packages. I could see him playing on a lot of passing downs with more playing time each week. Maybe they get all three outside linebackers on the field at the same time? If he can get into a regular role in the nickel I could see him having a bigger impact but for now my big play bias shows with Thomas No. 1.

3. Tennessee G Zach Fulton (Round 6)

Let's be up front. I haven't watched Zach Fulton tape so this is just a guess. I look at the right guard position and see Rishaw Johnson as the top candidate to start right now with Jeff Linkenbach and Rok Watkins behind him. None of those players are established starters so if Fulton is good, he could have a shot to get in there.

4. Rice CB Phillip Gaines (Round 3)

I put Gaines behind Fulton because he has a harder path to the field. He's behind Brandon Flowers, Sean Smith and Marcus Cooper. Like Ford, Gaines looks like he has a shot to make a bigger impact in year two depending on certain personnel moves down the road.

5. McGill OT Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Round 6)

If all goes well, he looks like the swing tackle to me. Remember, Donald Stephenson ended up starting seven games last season as the swing tackle due to injuries to starters Eric Fisher and Branden Albert. If Larry (that's John Dorsey calls him, so that's what we're going with) ends up being the third tackle, he will likely have to play at some point.

6. Georgia QB Aaron Murray (Round 5)

I was on a Georgia radio station draft weekend and they asked me about expectations for Murray in year one. I said they were really low. I do think Murray will make the roster but if they keep Chase Daniel I see him as the No. 3 quarterback, especially with him coming off injury. That means he doesn't play unless there's any injury. I know many people think it should be Murray and Tyler Bray battling for the No. 2 behind Alex Smith but I don't see it that way right now.