A homecoming is always a good story, but sometimes staying home is even better. That’s the heartening narrative that unfolded when the Kansas City Chiefs selected defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Kansas City hosted the NFL Draft’s three days of festivities in 2023, the year that Anudike-Uzomah was selected No. 32 overall in the first round. Given that Anudike-Uzomah was a product of Lee’s Summit High School who then went on to Kansas State, the Chiefs’ choice drew plenty of cheers who loved to see a local guy play close to home.

The Chiefs defensive end says he still thinks he’s dreaming at times while living out his hopes at the NFL level.

Even now coming into his third year, Anudike-Uzomah still reflects back on draft day with a sense of awe and wonder. When speaking on an episode of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, the former first-round pick detailed the feelings of that life-changing moment.

“At first, it was just like so real. I didn’t think… I thought I was dreaming the whole time,” said Anudike-Uzomah. “So right when they called my name, my whole family was just shouting and everything like that. And I’m still in shock. I’m like, ‘There’s no way. This is dreaming.’ I’m like, ‘I’m dreaming.’

“So I had to pinch myself a couple of times. But it’s just so real that the fact that I literally dreamed about this my whole life. Even growing up, I went to the Chiefs parade in 2020, saying, ‘What if I was on that podium?’ and stuff like that? And then boom, a couple of years later, I’m right there with all of the Chiefs, which is a dream come true,” he continued.

The Chiefs have dreams of their own for Anudike-Uzomah as he enters his junior season in the NFL. While he showed a greater effort in ’24 as a run defender and pass rusher, Steve Spagnuolo would love nothing more than to see FAU turn the corner toward being a significant contributor off the edge, pushing Mike Danna and Charles Omenihu for more playing time.

Last season, Anudike-Uzomah had 27 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 10 QB pressures for the Chiefs.