2025 NFL Draft Grades: Kansas City Chiefs

Best Pick: First-round tackle Josh Simmons is the best offensive lineman in this draft. If not for a torn meniscus suffered early last season, he would have been a top-10 pick. The Chiefs can be patient with him, but he's their long-term left tackle.

Worst Pick: Second-round defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott has talent, but there were questions about his attitude leading into the draft. Some teams were turned off by him. The second seems a little high for him.

The Skinny: I really liked their draft. Simmons will be a star. Norman-Lott can be really good. Third-round edge Ashton Gillotte was one of my favorite players in this draft and was on my Better-Than team. Third-round corner Nohl Williams and fourth-round receiver Jalen Royals will be nice additions and I liked seventh-round back Brashard Smith.

Top needs entering the draft: Offensive tackle, defensive tackle, running back and tight end

There was no way the Chiefs could exit the first two days of the draft without some serious offensive line improvements, even while slotted to pick down the board at No. 31. It doesn't take a brilliant football mind to watch last season's Super Bowl and know pass protection was a major factor in Kansas City's blowout loss to Philadelphia. The Chiefs paid Jaylon Moore starting left tackle money in free agency, but he was a backup last season. And Jawaan Taylor hasn't exactly been set-and-forget at right tackle. Even the once-mighty interior took a hit this offseason, when GM Brett Veach traded Joe Thuney to Chicago.

Not only did the Chiefs do something about it late on Day 1, they also picked up an extra fifth-rounder. They traded back one spot with the Eagles and finished Round 1 with Josh Simmons, who might have been the top offensive tackle in the class if not for a knee injury in the middle of last season. He's terrific in pass protection and came at great value. I had him No. 15 on my Big Board. Even if he's not quite ready for training camp, the Chiefs have Moore and Taylor. Once Simmons is fully healthy, he could be the answer as Patrick Mahomes' blindside protector.

The Chiefs got a pass-rushing 3-technique (Omarr Norman-Lott), penetrating edge rusher (Ashton Gillotte) and ball-hawking corner (Nohl Williams) on Day 2. They reached for Norman-Lott -- my No. 142 player went at No. 63 -- but he fills a need. I love Gillotte's game, and "First Draft" fans know that. I had him as one of my "Orange Crushers" this year. And Williams picked off seven passes to lead the FBS last season. Nice little Friday night for Veach & Co.

Kansas City pivoted back to offense Friday, getting a vertical receiver in Jalen Royals and physical running back in Brashard Smith. The Royals pick, in particular, was great. He was No. 72 on my board, but K.C. got him at No. 133 overall. He scored 21 touchdowns over the past two seasons. And Smith is a converted receiver with 4.39 speed. Mahomes has to be pleased.

The only thing that kept Kansas City from the coveted "A" grade was not taking a tight end. Travis Kelce is 35 years old now, so the Chiefs need an heir apparent.

I don't know if there's a true star in this group, but the Chiefs scooped up a bunch of soon-to-be contributors on every day of the draft. Assuming he can stay healthy after coming back from a torn patellar injury, Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons has the potential to become the team's long-term starter at left tackle. Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott was a rotational player for the Vols, but brings big-time juice as a situational pass rusher from the inside. I love Louisville edge rusher Ashton Gillotte's game, too. He's big, physical, and super savvy with his hands, using punches and swipes to discard blocks and get into the backfield. Cal corner Nohl Williams is a ball hawk (with an FBS-best seven picks in 2024), and Utah State Jalen Royals has a Rashee Rice—type skill set as a catch-and-run playmaker.

Andy Reid gets a lot of credit for the Chiefs' success on game day and justifiably so. But GM Brett Veach delivered a master class on patience and value in the first round, as well, coaxing the Philadelphia Eagles out of a fifth-round pick (which KC ultimately traded to Pittsburgh) to drop a single spot and select Ohio State's Josh Simmons, a talent worthy of a top-15 pick when healthy and filling a huge need at tackle.

I was surprised that Kansas City didn't invest more picks on the offensive line the rest of the way, but I love the talent added. Omarr Norman-Lott is a penetrating defensive tackle who can provide immediate juice to the Chiefs' defensive line, with the underrated Ashton Gillotte potentially doing the same on the outside. Middle-rounders Nohl Williams, Jalen Royals and Jeffrey Bassa were some of my favorite "second-tier" prospects at their respective positions in this class.

The advanced degree of difficulty in drafting for a team that has relatively few holes cannot be overstated. Veach and the Chiefs handled it masterfully, turning in one of the best classes of this year's draft — slipping only slightly because I thought they needed more help along the offensive line.

Here's why: The Chiefs have to be giddy about coming away with Josh Simmons. He had top-10 level talent and might have been the first tackle taken off the board if healthy. His knee injury dropped his stock, but the Chiefs benefit and have Jaylon Moore on the roster to hold the fort until Simmons is 100%. The Chiefs might not have to worry about left tackle for a long time if he comes back even close to healthy. Kansas City seemed to want to add pass-rushing juice on Day 2, coming away with Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte. Both pass-rush-first type players might not be great against the run, but they can create pressure and ease the load off of Chris Jones and Steve Spagnuolo's blitzing. Jeffrey Bassa is an off-ball linebacker who is a strong tackler (something the Chiefs have been prioritizing in recent years). He can end up starting down the road. And the Chiefs capped off their draft with the speedy Brashard Smith, a converted receiver who can (obviously) catch and adds an explosive play element to the Chiefs' run game that they've desperately needed.

Most interesting pick: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

He's an explosive receiver with the agility and strength through contact to make defenders regularly miss. Royals doesn't have the most diverse route tree right now, but he shows a real feel for finding soft spots against zone and is a good athlete who can turn into more. He's a nice fit for the other receivers the Chiefs currently have.

After watching their defense and blocking collapse in Super Bowl 59, HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach targeted fortifications — first-round LT Josh Simmons the most intriguing, particularly if he's available ahead of schedule coming off the torn patellar tendon he suffered last October. Reid expressed confidence in Simmons' progress, so the Chiefs might have committed quite the heist. Second-round DT Omarr Norman-Lott, third-round DE Ashton Gillotte and third-round CB Nohl Williams could all provide valuable reps immediately, the latter potentially allowing All-Pro Trent McDuffie to revert to slot duties.

The Chiefs authored one of the league's best drafts this weekend. General manager Brett Veach found a steal in Royals, who was widely projected as a Day 2 choice. Kansas City also nabbed three defenders on Friday, including Norman-Lott, who should contribute as a rookie on pass-rushing downs next to Chris Jones. In the first, Simmons is the ultimate boom-or-bust pick as an incredibly talented left tackle coming off a torn patellar tendon. If he works out, this draft will be a grand slam.

If Josh Simmons' medicals are good, he'll likely be a good pick at left tackle, and wide receiver Jalen Royals was an annoying great pick on Day Three - of course he'd somehow become a Chief. Outside of that, no picks jumped out in terms of incredible value.