Kansas City received San Francisco's 1970 third-round pick,…
Kansas City received San Francisco's 1970 third-round pick, No. 61, and used it on defensive end Billy Bob Barnett. Barnett did not develop into a comparable professional contributor, limiting the Chiefs' return from a meaningful draft slot. San Francisco, meanwhile, received immediate value from Noland Smith as an established return specialist, creating the stronger realized player outcome.
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- pick 1970 third round pick (#61-Billy Bob Barnett)
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Noland Smith
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
San Francisco acquired return specialist Noland Smith from Kansas City for its 1970 third-round choice. Kansas City used the 61st overall selection on defensive end Billy Bob Barnett. The package is stated only to the level that published football histories can support, so an unidentified choice stays unidentified instead of being attached to an uncertain player. That keeps the exchange coherent while still allowing the football value on each side to be judged from the assets that are known.
What Kansas City Chiefs Received
Kansas City received a premium mid-round selection shortly after winning Super Bowl IV. Barnett did not develop into a significant long-term contributor, so the Chiefs did not fully convert the attractive draft position into lasting value. The grade weighs both the price paid and the practical value that followed. A named draft choice is credited only when the selection can be connected to the exchange, while a general future choice remains general. That approach makes the historical comparison useful without overstating details that surviving accounts do not settle.
What San Francisco 49ers Received
San Francisco paid a third-round pick for an established return threat. Smith gave the 49ers immediate special-teams value, and the player side produced more identifiable NFL contribution than Kansas City's eventual selection. The other side is judged by the same standard: immediate games, starting value, later career impact, and the quality of any draft assets received. Where one part of the package produced little or no NFL value, that matters even if the original transaction looked balanced on paper.
Final Verdict
San Francisco gets the edge because Noland Smith delivered actual professional value while Billy Bob Barnett did not become a comparable contributor. The third-round cost prevents a runaway grade, but the player outcome favors the 49ers. The verdict reflects the strongest supportable version of the transaction and the career value that followed. It does not depend on assigning an uncertain pick to a player simply to make the package look more complete. The result is a full historical evaluation of the trade that can stand on the known facts.