Chiefs pick hometown star Felix Anudike-Uzomah of K-State in NFL Draft 1st round

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs used the final selection of the first round of the hometown NFL draft to pick a hometown boy, selecting Kansas State pass rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah with the 31st overall pick Thursday night.

Anudike-Uzomah was born in Kansas City and became a high school star in the suburb of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, before heading down Interstate 70 to play for the Wildcats. He became a starter in the Big 12 by his sophomore season and declared for the draft after a junior season in which he was voted the league’s defensive player of the year.

Anudike-Uzomah fills a big need for the Chiefs, who had to release Frank Clark to create some salary cap space.

The Chiefs also used a first-round pick last year on defensive end George Karlaftis, and now they have two young players to anchor their pass rush for years to come. Karlaftis had six sacks while helping the Chiefs win the Super Bowl as a rookie.