Very few positions have more variance in the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason than linebacker. There’s a path where the Chiefs re-sign Leo Chenal and keep Drue Tranquill on his current contract, giving them the exact same group as last year. There’s also a path that has them moving on from Tranquill and letting Chenal walk as well. That would leave Nick Bolton, Jeff Bassa, and Cooper McDonald as the main backers on the roster.
The Nick Bolton extension continues to be highly divisive, as his impact on the defense is challenging to quantify. Steve Spagnuolo values him as a coach on the field, but his limitations in coverage are obvious and are frequently targeted by opposing offenses. The Bolton contract might look and feel different if he weren’t asked to play every single snap on defense as a dime backer. At some point, the Chiefs need to consider finding a new linebacker to use in coverage.
After 2025, Jeff Bassa is more of an idea than a player you can count on in 2026. He could potentially be the Drue Tranquill replacement, or he could be Dorian O’Daniel 2.0. The Chiefs drafted Nick Bolton with Anthony Hitchens still under contract; maybe this year the Chiefs look to draft Bolton’s or Tranquill’s replacement and allow him a year to grow under one or both of them.
To keep up with the top prospects for the Chiefs in the NFL Draft, be sure to bookmark our Arrowhead Addict Big Board, tailored toward the Chiefs’ needs in the 2026 Draft.
Anthony Hill Jr. | LB | 6-3 285 LBS
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) December 27, 2025
Instinctive, downhill LB with NFL-ready size. Quick to diagnose, shoots gaps, plays sideline to sideline and finishes as a sure tackler. Best vs the run, still developing in coverage. One of the younger players in the class. pic.twitter.com/QKZrvm4b7J
Draft Profile: Anthony Hill Jr., Linebacker, Texas
Age: 20 (will be 21 by draft day)
Height: 6-3 (listed)
Weight: 238 LBS. (listed)
Tape Exposure: Ohio State (2025), Georgia (2025), Florida (2024)
Shades of: Nick Bolton
Anthony Hill Jr. Background
A consensus five-star recruit, Hill is a Texas native. He was ranked as the top linebacker prospect in the nation and the 17th overall prospect in the country. He originally committed to Texas A&M before flipping to Texas in 2022. Hill started as a true freshman and made an immediate impact with 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks. As a sophomore, he had an incredible season with 113 tackles, an SEC-best 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and an interception.
Hill was named a Butkus Award finalist and second-team All-SEC in 2025. He declared for the NFL Draft on December 8, 2025.
Where Anthony Hill Wins
Downhill Run Defender
Fast to read run concepts and react, routinely putting himself in position to take on blocks or attack gaps. Plays with strong instincts, is often around the football, and does a good job recognizing and triggering on screens. He’s not an elite block-shedder, but his vision through gaps is excellent.
Impact Blitzer
Hill has been a consistent winner as a blitzer, tallying 17 career sacks in three seasons. That total is more than Shemar Stewart (4.5), Arvell Reese (13.5), and Jalon Walker (12.5). His ability to generate sacks comes from several different skills. His lateral agility helps generate sacks by sealing off the edge from a scrambling quarterback. He also brings power off the edge as a mismatch against chip blockers and as a blitzer in the B and A gaps.
Sure Tackler
Hill has been a reliable tackler throughout his freshman and junior seasons, with only 11 missed tackles across those two years. His sophomore season is a bit of an outlier, with 18 missed tackles in 2024. With his size, frame, and young age, there’s still plenty of athletic upside in his profile.
Where Anthony Hill Loses
Coverage Skills
Right now, Hill is mostly a spot-dropper in zone coverage. He mostly covers the flat in man coverage and hasn’t really shown much ability to match and mirror route runners. His limitations in coverage are as much about what hasn’t been asked of him as what he hasn’t shown. He displays hip stiffness, which impacts his ability to turn and run in coverage.
Power
While Hill is a sure tackler and an impact blitzer, there’s never really an enforcer element to his game. He hasn’t consistently displayed the ability to shed blockers, especially offensive linemen climbing to the second level. Additionally, you keep waiting to see Hill trigger downhill and blow up a ball carrier to make a statement. He’s a sure tackler, but not a scary tackler.
Is Anthony Hill is more of the same
Can the Chiefs really afford to take another Nick Bolton? The answer to that question likely lies in where Hill is drafted. There’s a very real chance that Hill is selected in the same range as Bolton was back in 2021. Perhaps the best way to view Hill’s immediate role is as a replacement for Drue Tranquill rather than Nick Bolton.
Anthony Hill is a good football player with very clear strengths and weaknesses. Is he an upgrade over an aging Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill? Eventually, yes. Year one? Probably not.
Anthony Hill Jr. is an instinctual run defender, an impact blitzer, and a sure tackler. With limitations in coverage and eye discipline, there are concerns about his ability to be an every-down player. However, as a young prospect with plenty of physical traits, he could develop into a premier linebacker in the league.
Round Grade: Green Chip (Round 2)