The never-ending conspiracy theory that the Kansas City Chiefs selected Felix Anudike-Uzomah in 2023 because he was a local kid can’t be disproven. Whether you choose to believe that Clark Hunt (or whoever) mingled in the draft to be able to announce a Kansas City native who played for a local school in front of Union Station or not, you really can’t be proven wrong. Regardless, he’s been a disappointment, but that narrative of local kids being over-prioritized likely won’t go away.
Some Chiefs fans will scoff at drafting another edge rusher from a local school for similar reasons. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t scout the helmet, you scout the player. There were reasons most people believed Felix Anudike-Uzomah was a first-round talent, and likewise, there are reasons that pick has failed. Zion Young has become a big riser this draft cycle because of his tape and his performance at the Senior Bowl. He’s not just some local prospect being propped up by regionality.
The Chiefs have lots of needs this year, and probably the largest need is the defensive line. You can argue that the Chiefs could spend their first- and second-round picks on the defensive line, and it would be entirely warranted. Ignoring a player like Zion Young as a high scheme fit because of a silly narrative would be a mistake by the Chiefs—and yes, even K.C.
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Zion Young | ED | 6-5 262 LBS
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) January 28, 2026
Team Captain, DAWG, Strong frame, long arms & good power to set the edge, reset the LOS, and collapse the pocket with effort and strength. Limited burst bend and twitch. His hand timing and rush angles remain inconsistent
Shades of: Jalen Phillips pic.twitter.com/IzOdIFY7zO
NFL Draft Profile: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
Age: 22 (on draft day)
Height: 6-5 (senior bowl)
Weight: 262 LBS (senior bowl)
Hands: 9 3/8 inches
Arms: 33.48 inches
Tape Exposure: Kansas (2025), Vanderbilt (2025), South Carolina (2025)
Shades of: Jalen Phillips
Zion Young's background
Young played high school football in Atlanta, Georgia, and was ranked as a three-star recruit. He committed to Michigan State, where he played his freshman and sophomore seasons. During his freshman season, he saw limited playing time and started during his sophomore season. In two seasons with the Spartans, he tallied 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks before entering the transfer portal and committing to Missouri. Young finished well in his final two seasons with the Tigers, logging 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks. His 56 pressures ranked second among all SEC defenders in 2025.
Scouting Zion Young's strengths
Tone Setter
Every defense needs some dogs, and Zion Young brings swagger to a defense. As a team captain, he was a physical and vocal leader for a strong Tigers defense. He’s a high-motor rusher and tackler, always pursuing downfield. Young went viral this season for his trash talk against Auburn at the overtime coin toss. All he did after talking trash was put up a sack, tackles for loss, and a pressure to end the game in a victory for Mizzou.
Power Based Game
Young has a long, powerful frame that allows him to consistently reset the line of scrimmage. His ability to convert speed to power on the inside makes him a pressure machine. His long frame makes his bull rush tough to block, and he brings force at the tackle point.
High End Run Defense
Teams run away from his side; Kansas notably ran opposite of him almost the entire game. He gets his head up, keeps his hips parallel to the line of scrimmage, and is able to rip and shed blocks well. He finished with 28.5 career tackles for loss, and his 22 PFF run stops ranked second among all edge defenders in the draft class (Rueben Bain had 23).
Exposing Zion Young's weaknesses
Character Concerns
While Young is a vocal leader on the field and a team captain, there are some concerns. As a freshman at Michigan State, he was implicated in a postgame tunnel altercation against Michigan, ultimately pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and receiving a suspension. He was later arrested for a DWI on Dec. 13, roughly two weeks before Missouri’s bowl game.
Lack of Burst/Bend
He lacks an elite first step or bend around the edge. He takes long angles to the quarterback, and larger, stronger tackles can give him issues. Many of his sacks came after 2.5 seconds or on total blocking coverage busts.
Penalties
This needs to be cleaned up. He jumps offsides early at the snap or is sometimes aligned incorrectly at the line of scrimmage. He had seven penalties in his two seasons at Missouri, including six during his senior year.
Will Zion Young keep his moving costs low?
It’s just a short (yet miserable) drive down I-70 from Columbia to Kansas City. Will Clark Hunt just send the U-Haul for him already? In all seriousness, Young displays several traits that are high-level fits for the Chiefs, and he’s stringing together a nice draft process. With how shallow this class is, it wouldn’t be shocking to hear his name in Round 1, but pick No. 40 would be the dream for the Chiefs to land him.
Is he closer to George Karlaftis than Rueben Bain? Yes. Have the Chiefs had anything close to another edge rusher as good as Karlaftis opposite him? No. He’s a clear upgrade over Danna, Omenihu, and rookie-season Gillotte.
Zion Young is a powerful presence on the edge with ideal length and size to be a true three-down player at the next level. His strength makes him a plus run defender and a high-impact pocket collapser. Limitations with speed rush and bend keep his ceiling somewhat lower.
Round Grade: Green Chip (Second-Round Grade)