No matter how hard we try, “groupthink” eventually comes for us all. The general train of thought is that the Chiefs have to fix the pass rush, and the best way to do that is through the edge position. Make no bones about it, the pass rush needs to get better in many different ways, but there might be another avenue besides just edge rush.
With the Chiefs having so many needs, they might not be able to fix the edge position entirely in one year, especially given where it is right now. The Chiefs might be able to rev up their pass rush from the interior more easily, which is actually sort of the story of the 2025 NFL season nationally. The four remaining teams during conference championship week were among the league leaders in interior pressure rate.
The Chiefs’ pass rush is still centered around Chris Jones, but perhaps they can get the best out of Jones by adding to the room. With Omarr Norman-Lott hopefully recovering well from his ACL injury and Jones, they already have the pieces of a nice “NASCAR” package on passing downs. If the Chiefs can start rotating three effective pass rushers on the interior, they can move Jones toward playing fewer snaps to keep him fresh and still generate pressure. They will also continue to use Jones on the edge at times as well. At this point, the Chiefs need to stack good pass rushers and worry about the rest later.
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Gracen Halton | IDL | 6-2 293 LBS
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) February 22, 2026
Quick, agile w/ strong motor and hand pop. Effective on twists, swim moves, & gap penetration w/ good closing speed. Lacks ideal length, anchor, & leverage; inconsistent hand accuracy and footwork can hurt run fits
Shades of: Omarr Norman-Lott pic.twitter.com/V1oIrEeGJ7
NFL Draft Profile: Gracen Halton, Interior Defensive Line, Oklahoma
Age: 22 (on draft day)
Height: 6-2 (verified)
Weight: 293 LBS. (verified)
Hands: 9.58 inches (verified)
Arms: 31.68 inches (verified)
Tape Exposure: Auburn (2025) Michigan (2025), Tennessee (2025)
Shades of: Kobie Turner
Gracen Halton's background
Halton attended St. Augustine High School in San Diego, California. Ranked as a 4-star recruit by 247Sports, he received several high-level offers before eventually committing to Oklahoma in 2022. Halton spent four years in Norman. He appeared in 10 games as a true freshman and then became a frequent starter for the rest of his career. He completed his college career with 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 84 tackles, and 53 pressures.
Looking at Gracen Halton's strengths
Athleticsm
Halton will be an athletic mismatch for most guards and centers. His agility makes him a weapon to shoot gaps in run defense and also makes him effective as a looper in stunts and games.
Pass Rush Profile
Halton has been effective at rushing the passer, particularly in his last two seasons, where he logged 8.5 sacks. His 22 pressures rank first in the draft class among interior defensive linemen. He actually has more than just raw agility and power to rush the passer; he includes a nice swim move in his arsenal.
Motor
There are several high-effort tackles from him on tape. He is relentless in pursuing the quarterback and never says “die” on a rep. He was a big riser at the Senior Bowl because of how hard he practiced.
Assessing Gracen Halton's weaknesses
Play Height
Despite being 6-2, he consistently plays too high. He tends to lock or straighten his legs, hurting his leverage. This, combined with below-average weight, means he can lose at the point of attack.
Run Defense
Halton isn’t a bad run defender; the question is what his role looks like at the next level. Can he play on early downs against the run? Is his lack of mass going to be a problem that turns him into a pass-rush specialist?
Pass Rush Technique
His hands at times can be out of sync with his feet. He can be seen swiping and missing blockers’ hands. He tends to rely on athleticism too much. There is also some wasted movement out of his stance.
Why Gracen Halton makes sense for the Chiefs
The Chiefs have seemed to have an affinity for the Oklahoma program over the last few years. Creed Humphrey, Wanya Morris, Ethan Downs, and Hollywood Brown all played for Oklahoma, and now new running backs coach DeMarco Murray was hired from Oklahoma. That connection seems strong enough, and Murray probably has a good pulse on Halton.
The question is: Is Halton too similar to Omarr Norman-Lott? While their bodies coming out of college were similar, Halton is more stout against the run and played more snaps overall. Norman-Lott’s high-level pass rush profile is what made him a second-round pick, but Halton might be able to make up for that in run defense.
Halton is a quick, penetrating interior defensive lineman who wins with burst, agility, and an active pass-rush arsenal. He’s effective on twists and line games, using his motor, closing speed, and hand pop to create pressure and clean up plays. However, his lighter frame and shorter arms limit his anchor, and he can be displaced by double teams or stronger guards. Inconsistent leverage, gap discipline, and hand precision make him best suited as a rotational 3-technique with pass-rush upside.
Round Grade: Green Chip (Third-Round Grade)