It is almost impossible to imagine the NFL today without Travis Kelce. He is the guy holding the trophy, the guy on every commercial, and—lately—the guy in the middle of a global pop-culture whirlwind. But back in 2013, he was just a "red-flag" prospect from the University of Cincinnati with a reputation for being a bit of a headache.
So, when did Travis Kelce get drafted?
The short answer is April 26, 2013.
He was the first pick of the third round, 63rd overall, taken by the Kansas City Chiefs. If that sounds like a steal now, it’s because it absolutely was. But at the time, 31 other teams looked at his tape and his "character concerns" and decided to look the other way.
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The 2013 NFL Draft: A Gamble That Changed Everything
The 2013 draft wasn't exactly a gold mine for quarterbacks—E.J. Manuel was the first one off the board—but it was an interesting year for tight ends. People were looking for the next Rob Gronkowski. Travis Kelce had the size and the speed, yet he sat in the green room way longer than he expected.
The Kansas City Chiefs had the #1 overall pick that year, but they used it on offensive tackle Eric Fisher. Since they had traded their second-round pick to the 49ers to get quarterback Alex Smith, they had to sit on their hands and wait until the third round to see who was left.
When the 63rd pick rolled around, Kelce was still there.
Why did he fall to the third round?
Honestly, it came down to a "marijuana" incident. That's the word his brother Jason uses on their New Heights podcast, though Travis usually jokes that the word sounds way too intense.
In 2010, Kelce was suspended for the entire season at Cincinnati for a failed drug test. It didn't matter that he was a beast on the field; NFL scouts are notoriously allergic to "character issues." They saw a kid who had been kicked off his team and worried he wouldn't be able to handle the professional lifestyle.
There were also some medical questions. He had a few injuries in college that made teams wonder if he’d hold up. Even in his rookie year, those fears seemed justified when he missed almost the entire 2013 season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee. He played exactly one snap on special teams that year. Just one.
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The Tight Ends Taken Before Kelce
Hindsight is always 20/20, especially in sports. There were four tight ends taken before Travis Kelce in the 2013 draft. Looking back at this list is a wild exercise in "what if."
- Tyler Eifert (No. 21 overall, Bengals): Eifert was the "safe" pick. He was amazing when healthy, even making a Pro Bowl, but his career was unfortunately defined by a string of brutal injuries.
- Zach Ertz (No. 35 overall, Eagles): This was actually a great pick. Ertz became a legend in Philadelphia and has had a borderline Hall of Fame career himself. No regrets for the Eagles here.
- Gavin Escobar (No. 47 overall, Cowboys): This one didn't age well. Escobar struggled to find his footing in the league and never became the offensive threat Dallas hoped for.
- Vance McDonald (No. 55 overall, 49ers): A solid, physical blocker and a decent receiver, but never reached the "superstar" tier.
Basically, while Ertz and Eifert were productive, none of them redefined the position like the guy who fell to 63rd.
The Andy Reid and Jason Kelce Connection
The only reason Travis Kelce is a Chief is because of a very specific set of circumstances. Andy Reid had just taken the job in Kansas City. Before that, he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, where he had drafted and coached Travis’s older brother, Jason Kelce.
Reid knew the DNA.
But he still needed convincing. On draft night, Jason actually had to vouch for his brother. He told Reid that Travis would stay on the straight and narrow if given the chance.
It worked.
Reid saw a first-round talent in a third-round box. He took the risk, signed Travis to a four-year, $3.12 million rookie deal, and the rest is literally history. Kelce has since surpassed almost every record set by Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez, which is something nobody was predicting back in 2013.
From QB to TE: The Secret Weapon
One thing most people forget is that Travis Kelce didn't start as a tight end. He was a quarterback in high school and even at the start of his time at Cincinnati.
That 2010 suspension actually changed his career path.
When he was allowed to come back to the team, the coaches basically said, "Look, we don't need a quarterback. You can be an athlete on the scout team or you can leave." He chose to stay, moved to the tight end room, and realized he could use his quarterback brain to find holes in the defense that other players just couldn't see.
That "QB vision" is why he and Patrick Mahomes have that weird, telepathic connection today. He isn't just running a route; he's reading the safety and the linebacker exactly like a quarterback would.
The Actionable Takeaway for Fans and Collectors
If you are looking to track Kelce's legacy or even look into sports memorabilia, the "2013 Draft" is the holy grail.
- Look for 2013 Rookie Cards: Since he was a third-rounder, his rookie cards weren't as mass-produced or hyped as first-rounders, making high-grade versions (PSA 10) increasingly valuable as he approaches retirement.
- Study the "Kelce Tree": If you're a student of the game, watch his 2012 Cincinnati highlights vs. his early Chiefs tape. You can see the exact moment he stopped being a "wildcat" athlete and started becoming a technical route-runner.
- Context is Key: When debating his "Greatest of All Time" status, always mention that he missed his entire rookie year. His stats aren't just high; they are high despite losing a full year of his prime to injury.
Travis Kelce wasn't a sure thing. He was a late Friday night pick that a lot of people thought would flame out. Instead, he became the blueprint for the modern NFL tight end.
To get the most out of following his final seasons, keep an eye on his "yards after catch" (YAC) stats. Even as he gets older, his ability to manipulate defenders after the catch remains his most elite—and most overlooked—skill from his drafting days. Check the official NFL stats or Pro-Football-Reference to see how he stacks up against the all-time greats in real-time.