Dametrious Crownover holds the key to the Chiefs' right tackle woes

Over the last several months, we have seen many of the nation's top draft analysts project that the Chiefs will spend one of their two first-round picks on an offensive tackle. This offseason, Kansas City elected to move on from starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, and Jaylon Moore appears to be slated to take over on the right side. But many analysts and insiders are not convinced the Chiefs are happy with that solution and suspect they will look to add to the offensive line in the draft.

The Chiefs have been linked to several offensive tackles in several different markets. There were rumors that the Chiefs were interested in a trade for Trent Williams, as well as rumors that they were interested in free agent tackle Rasheed Walker. In mock drafts, Kansas City has been linked to several first-round tackle prospects such as Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, and Blake Miller.

The feeling among many analysts is that this year's offensive tackle class is thin, and if you want to add a strong tackle prospect, you will have to do it early. When you combine the rumors that the Chiefs are not content with their tackle room with the thin tackle class in the draft, you can understand why many analysts have the Chiefs spending a premium pick to add an offensive tackle. But what if I told you the Chiefs' answer at offensive tackle could come on day two, or even day three, of the draft?

In my opinion, maybe the most underrated player, regardless of position, in the 2026 NFL Draft is Texas A&M right tackle Dametrious Crownover. An absolutely massive man, Crownover has a dominating frame, standing at 6-7 and 330 pounds, with 35 5/8-inch arms to match. It is often that Crownover wins with his sheer size alone, but he is far more than just an "athletic project" prospect.

Coming out of high school, Crownover was a two-way player at tight end and defensive end, something that should tell you quite a bit about his athletic profile. He was also a strong basketball player, but since arriving at Texas A&M, he has made his mark at offensive tackle. He added weight and has quickly proven to be one of the best athletes in the draft overall, and at offensive tackle, he has dominant traits that scouts are hunting for.

A lot of the time, when you see a tackle prospect of Crownover's size, the concern is with their ability to move laterally and win reps against faster edge rushers. But for Crownover, this is not often an issue, and he has an incredible first step off the line of scrimmage, often beating faster pass rushers to the top of the arc. Even for smaller edge rushers who have good bend off the edge, Crownover often wins because of his long arms and ability to use his hands.

Crownover can be stiff at times and can struggle to bend at the knees, but he can often overcome that because of his incredibly long arms. That stiffness in pass protection can generate some concern from scouts, and rightfully so, especially against top NFL pass rushers who can go from speed to power in the blink of an eye. But Crownover's feet rarely lag behind his hips, which allows him to set his anchor and play with leverage.

I do not say this lightly, but when we talk about Crownover, we are talking about a potential star who has already had some incredible success despite just four years playing tackle. He currently grades as one of just two offensive tackles on my draft board with a first-round grade, and I think he may have the highest ceiling of any lineman in the draft. Despite this, the general consensus has Crownover going around pick 100.

If the Chiefs get Crownover, it feels like a match made in heaven for both parties. For the Chiefs, if they are not comfortable with their current situation, especially at right tackle, Crownover brings some substantial help with the potential to be a future Pro Bowler. For Crownover, it gives him the opportunity to struggle, regardless of his role.

If Crownover is a day-one starter, the Chiefs already have four reliable starters and will be able to provide him with consistency. If he does not win the starting job, the Chiefs would provide Crownover a veteran counterpart in Jaylon Moore, who has experience playing with Trent Williams and could help him develop for the future.

It has started to become apparent that the Chiefs are not comfortable with their offensive tackle situation. But the solution does not have to come in the first round, or even in the top 50. Dametrious Crownover is maybe the most under-hyped player in the draft, and with a third- or even fourth-round pick, the Chiefs could get one of the biggest steals in the draft.