Patrick Mahomes has already built a legacy that places him among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. A multiple-time MVP, Super Bowl champion, and the undisputed face of the league, Mahomes has become an icon who transcends the sport of football.
But before he became the dominant force we know today, he was just a talented but unproven prospect coming out of Texas Tech — one that many teams overlooked in the 2017 NFL Draft.
The story of how Mahomes landed with the Kansas City Chiefs is one of the great “what ifs” in NFL history. Looking back, it’s almost unthinkable that multiple teams passed on a generational talent, but just like with Travis Kelce, that’s exactly what happened. So how did Mahomes fall to Kansas City, and what made the 2017 draft one of the most infamous in recent memory?
Looking Back at the 2017 NFL Draft
On April 27, 2017, the NFL world gathered in Philadelphia for the first round of the NFL Draft. The quarterback class was widely debated, with no clear consensus on who would be the best long-term option. While Mahomes had a staggering 9,693 passing yards and 77 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter at Texas Tech, some scouts questioned whether his gunslinger style would translate to the pros.
Instead, North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky was the first quarterback selected, going No. 2 overall to the Chicago Bears after they traded up one spot. It was a shocking move at the time and, in hindsight, one of the biggest draft blunders in NFL history. The Bears believed Trubisky’s accuracy and athleticism made him the safest choice, but he never lived up to expectations.
Deshaun Watson, a national champion from Clemson, was viewed by many as the most NFL-ready quarterback, and the Houston Texans selected him at No. 12. Watson showed flashes of brilliance early in his career before off-field controversies derailed his time in Houston.
The Chiefs’ Franchise-Altering Trade
The biggest steal of the draft happened when the Chiefs, sitting at No. 27, made an aggressive move up the board by giving up three picks.
Somehow, Kansas City saw something in Mahomes that other teams didn’t. Head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach believed his raw arm talent and playmaking ability were too special to pass up. So, they made a bold move, trading up 17 spots with the Buffalo Bills to take Mahomes at No. 10 overall.
At the time, the Chiefs still had Alex Smith as their starting quarterback, a solid veteran who had led them to multiple playoff appearances. That allowed Mahomes to sit and learn for a year before taking over in 2018. The results? A first-year MVP campaign and one of the most decorated starts to a career in NFL history.
How the 2017 Draft Changed the NFL
Looking back, the 2017 draft was a defining moment for multiple franchises. The Bears’ decision to take Trubisky over Mahomes will always be questioned, as Chicago cycled through quarterbacks before finally landing Caleb Williams in 2024. The Texans got strong early returns from Watson, but off-field issues forced them to move on.
Meanwhile, Mahomes turned Kansas City into one of the sport’s greatest dynasties, rewriting record books and rivaling Tom Brady’s legacy, which was previously considered unrivalable.
It’s rare to see a single draft pick alter the course of the league, but that’s exactly what happened in 2017. The Chiefs took a chance on an unconventional quarterback, and in doing so, they secured one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.