The media portion of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is officially over, but we’ve learned plenty about the upcoming crop of draft prospects, including information about the teams they’ve interviewed with. Over 30 prospects confirmed they’d met with the Kansas City Chiefs in either formal or informal interviews at the combine.
Informal interviews are exactly how they sound. They’re quick and dirty, usually taking place with a scout or position coach in an informal setting. Usually, it’s just a way to get introduced to a prospect or check in after a meeting at another event like an All-Star Game.
Formal interviews are what the combine is all about for NFL teams. That’s where they really get an opportunity to know draft prospects. These are longer, highly structured, sit-down meetings that happen with multiple members of an organization. In the case of Kansas City, this usually means Andy Reid, the coordinator, the position coach, Brett Veach and an area scout.
Teams are only permitted 45 formal interviews and they typically use those on players they hold in high regard. Some of these interviews are done so teams can learn more about medical or character concerns, others are strictly an opportunity to better understand the type of player a particular prospect is. Reid and the rest of those in the room will watch tape with them and get them on the whiteboard breaking down plays. It’s an exercise that they use to get to know both the person and the player.
Below you’ll find a list of the prospects who said they met with the Chiefs at the combine or elsewhere during the course of the pre-draft process: