Felix Anudike-Uzomah: ‘Dream Come True’ Getting Drafted by Chiefs

Kansas City's first 2023 NFL Draft pick is excited and ready to join the Chiefs organization.

The 2023 NFL Draft, like those before it, featured a ton of great moments in the first round. From those in the on-site green room waiting to get picked, all the way down to those awaiting their opportunities from home, 31 lives were changed forever on Thursday night in Kansas City.

One of those lives was former Kansas State prospect Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The 21-year-old defensive end had a draft party at home, opting to spend time with his family and hope that a phone call was coming at some point during the first round. Right at the end it did, with the Kansas City Chiefs using the final pick of the round to select him. Speaking shortly after he got picked, Anudike-Uzomah reacted to the emotional night. 

“It was amazing," Anudike-Uzomah said of his draft party. "It was just a lot of people, a lot of emotions. (My friends and family) were more excited than me, for sure. It was just – first of all, I wanted a small (amount of) people because I’m a type of person that (doesn’t) like all the attention on me, so I just need my family. But it worked out good. I got drafted by literally my favorite team growing up, so it’s just definitely a dream come true.”

A Kansas City native, Anudike-Uzomah attended high school at Lee's Summit and was coached by Eric Thomas. Becoming a decorated high school football player in the state of Missouri, he later ended up across the state line in Manhattan, KS, for college. A three-year career with the Wildcats ensued, and Anudike-Uzomah never had to stray too far from the area he'd grown to love since a young age.

Speaking of something he's loved since he was a kid, Anudike-Uzomah headed into the draft as a passionate Chiefs fan. He can still carry that tag if he so chooses, but now he's also an employee of the team and a part of the franchise's history, identity, present and future. He made it clear on Thursday night that Kansas City football played a huge role in his sports fandom growing up, citing games over a decade old as instances in which he still managed to love the Chiefs. Now, years later, the full circle is being closed.

“It’s (my) number one love," Anudike-Uzomah said about Kansas City. "I remember going to my first Chiefs game back when I was seven years old, from there I just fell in love with this. Back in the (former QB) Matt Cassel days – it’s funny – back in the Matt Cassel days, back whenever we were like 1‐12 and we beat the Green Bay Packers and we were all excited because we just beat, like, the Packers at the time – it’s a dream come true.

"Also, I just remember me and my friends just went up to training camp just to watch (Travis) Kelce and the Chiefs literally just play. It’s coming full circle which is crazy and it’s unbelievable that I’m even in this position now. I’m a Kansas City Chief. So, I’m definitely going to celebrate with my family and (everyone) else. I’m thankful for the Kansas City Chiefs fans because I was one of the Kansas City Chiefs fans, so I know how die-hard we are for the Chiefs.”

Throughout the pre-draft process, Anudike-Uzomah was widely regarded as a second-round pick. Lumped in with other defensive end prospects such as Isaiah Foskey, Derick Hall and Keion White, most draft analysts projected that the Kansas State product would hear his name get called on Friday, not Thursday. The Chiefs made that dream come true a day in advance, although Anudike-Uzomah said he felt all along that he had the potential to be a first-round pick. Now he is, and he's still pinching himself to make sure it's all a reality. 

“The thing is, I in my heart felt like first‐round possibility. I had other people saying I was (a) second rounder, people in the media saying I was a second-rounder. I saw the Kansas City Chiefs host me three times, so I’m like, ‘Ok, I’m destined to go to the Chiefs.’ I saw you guys loved Frank Clark. Frank Clark is one of my favorite pass rushers (just) watching him. And I was just like, ‘Listen, if he left, like, I could definitely have input for the team, especially because I’m a young rusher and I could learn from the people ahead of me.’ 

"So, it was just a wild experience – having the Draft in KC, me coming out this year. This is all I dreamed of. Like this is literally – I had a dream of this like four times in my lifetime and it’s crazy how I’m living in the moment, I’m literally stepping foot...Tomorrow I’m going to probably wake up and check my phone to make sure I’m still on the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s honestly surreal. And I’m glad to be a part of the Chiefs. I’m glad to be a part of a winning culture. (I’m) glad to be a part of (Head Coach) Andy Reid and everything else. And I thank (General Manager Brett) Veach so much for even having me out on the Kansas City Chiefs.”

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