The Kansas City Chiefs hold the 31st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. For anyone who's been reading all of the different mock draft floating around out there, it shouldn't be a surprise to continue seeing the team linked to an offensive lineman.
After all, the Chiefs desperately need help at their left tackle spot, even more so after Joe Thuney was traded in the offseason. The draft experts have K.C. trying to find a solution at left tackle and in the latest mock draft round-up, all three mocks had the Chiefs going with the same player.
NFL mock draft round-up consists of Chiefs taking the same player
All three mocks used for the latest roundup love the idea of Josh Simmons being Kansas City's first-round pick. This isn't a new name for Chiefs fans, as Simmons is considered to be a late first-round prospect and would fill a need in Kansas City. Since the pick is the same for all three mocks, let's dive more into what each expert said rather than just analyzing the pick as we've done in the past.
Sports Illustrated
Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated liked Simmons to Kansas City because "He didn’t allow a sack as Will Howard’s blindside protector, and with experience at both left and right tackle, he projects as an early starter in the NFL—which should be music to the ears of Patrick Mahomes."
Flick also mentioned that before Simmons' injury, he was potentially the best tackle in the country. When hearing it worded like that, landing Simmons this late in the first round could end up being quite the steal.
The Athletic
Ben Standig of The Athletic thought Simmons to the Chiefs made sense because "The three-year starter for Ohio State would challenge Jaylon Moore on the left side, join the battle to replace left guard Joe Thuney or prep for the future while working as a needed swing tackle."
The Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore in free agency despite the former 49ers offensive tackle only starting 12 games over four years. Moore hasn't shown that he can be a full-time starter at left tackle and if Simmons was the selection here, it wouldn't be shocking if he managed to beat Moore out for the starting job.
CBS Sports
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports noted in his mock draft that Simmons only lasted as long as he did in his mock because of the injury he suffered in October. Trapasso also said that Simmons is "an ideal long-term project with potentially enormous upside at a valuable position in Kansas City." He's not wrong.
The Chiefs are never in a good spot to land the best tackles in the draft because they're always making deep runs in the playoffs. While Simmons' injury could set him back, the fact that a player of his caliber will be available around where Kansas City is picking is rare and the Chiefs should definitely take advantage if he's still sitting there at 31.
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