WATCH: Kansas City Chiefs brass makes the call to draft Kentucky lineman Darian Kinnard
The Kansas City Chiefs were able to snag one of college football’s finest right tackles in former Kentucky star Darian Kinnard in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, trading up in the draft to do so. The Chiefs front office were excited to get the consensus All-American on the phone on the third day of the draft.
“We had one more check box that we needed to fill out before this draft and it was right tackle,” Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach said. “And now you get to come a great organization with a great offense and you can help us protect [Patrick] Mahomes.”
The multi-year starter obviously didn’t sound over the moon after falling to day three and watching multiple tackles drafted before him. A poor showing at the Senior Bowl
Kinnard mulled the decision of entering his name into last year’s NFL Draft. While he was projected as a second or third round talent, he decided to return to Lexington for one more season in the hopes to raise his stock. Unfortunately for the former Wildcat, Kinnard fell all the way to day three.
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Kentucky’s offensive line, dubbed the ‘Big Blue Wall,’ has now produced a draft pick in four consecutive years after Luke Fortner was drafted at No. 65 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars and now Kinnard. George Asafo-Adjei (Round 7, New York Giants), Logan Stenberg (Round 4, Detroit Lions) and Landon Young (Round 7, New Orleans Saints) began the tradition after the 2018 season.
The former Wildcat primarily played right tackle in his final two seasons with the ‘Cats, and finished his career with 39 consecutive starts. Kinnard earned All-SEC honors as a junior before transforming into a Consensus All-American as a senior, just the 12th in Kentucky football history and first offensive lineman since Sam Ball in 1965.
Kinnard capped off his Wildcat career with a second Citrus Bowl victory, fourth consecutive bowl win and the 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the top offensive lineman in the SEC. He led the Wildcats with 30 knockdown blocks and was one of only three Power 5 offensive tackles to grade 85 or better in both run or pass blocking according to Pro Football Focus and will look to continue that dominance in Kansas City over the next few seasons.