KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After polling select “league executives, coaches, scouts and players,” ESPN recently unveiled its top 10 NFL players at each position.
Predictably, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce topped their position groups. If they hadn’t, the lists would be invalid.
But Mahomes and Kelce, who received more than 80% of first-place votes, were only two of Kansas City’s 11 players to receive plaudits.
Two people actually voted for someone other than Mahomes — and probably shouldn’t have jobs in professional football — with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Buffalo’s Josh Allen each receiving one first-place vote each.
Everyone else got it right.
Mahomes and Kelce have been key cogs in for a Chiefs team that has won two of the last four Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LVII five months ago against Philadelphia.
Kansas City snapped a 50-year championship drought with a stirring fourth-quarter comeback in Super Bowl LIV four seasons ago.
The Chiefs also reached Super Bowl LV, losing to Tampa Bay without its starting tackles, giving the franchise three AFC championships (and Super Bowl appearances) in the last four seasons.
During two-time league and Super Bowl MVP Mahomes’ five seasons as a starter, the Chiefs have won the AFC West every year and their worst postseason finish was getting eliminated in overtime as hosts of the AFC Championship Game (2018 vs. New England and 2021 vs. Cincinnati).
A total of six Chiefs made the top 10, while another five received votes.
Offensively, in addition to Mahomes and Kelce, all three of Kansas City’s interior offensive linemen received mention.
Left guard Joe Thuney was ranked second with center Creed Humphrey checking in eighth and right guard Trey Smith earning an honorable mention. Thuney, who boasted an NFL-best 98.9 pass block win rate last season, received at least one first-place vote, while Humphrey, whose 98.1 pass block win rate led all centers, was ranked as high as third.
Presumptive Chiefs starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, a free-agent signing from Jacksonville, received votes at the offensive tackle position — as did former starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who left for Cincinnati via free agency.
Two of Kansas City’s defensive stars also were ranked, while three secondary players also garnered votes.
Fresh off being a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, defensive tackle Chris Jones checks in as the No. 2-ranked interior defensive lineman behind only Aaron Donald.
Jones, who tied a career high with 15 1/2 sacks and led all NFL DTs in pass-rush win rate (22%) last season, had a career year in defensive line coach Joe Cullen’s first season with the Chiefs.
Jones is in line for a hefty contract extension, because he only has one year left on his current contract.
Instinctive, thumping linebacker Nick Bolton ranked eighth among off-ball linebackers.
He was lauded for the fact that he “does a little bit of everything,” including ranking second in the NFL in tackle percentage (16.9%).
None of Kansas City’s cornerbacks cracked the top 10, but L’Jarius Sneed was an honorable mention and Trent McDuffie received at least one vote.
Safety Justin Reid, who helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl in his first season with the club, also received votes in the survey.
Kansas City didn’t have any players listed at edge rusher, running back or wide receiver.
Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies report for training camp Wednesday, while veterans report Saturday to Missouri Western in St. Joseph.
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