The Kansas City Chiefs can’t idly sit by without making wholesole upgrades along the offensive line, after watching Patrick Mahomes get sacked six times in a 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times last season, the kind of barrage that can lower the ceiling on an entire season, if the Chiefs don’t act boldly to fortify the offensive line in front of him.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, there are several top tackle prospects who could be on the board when Kansas City goes on the clock with the No. 31 overall pick.
In Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Jordan Plocher’s latest mock draft projection, the Chiefs emerge from Round 1 with Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons.
“After the Chiefs’ lackluster offensive showing in Super Bowl 59,” Plocher writes for PFF. “It became apparent that upgrading their offensive line should be their top priority. Simmons has the ideal size for an NFL tackle at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds with 33-inch arms. He had an injury-shortened season in 2024 but earned an 82.0 PFF pass-blocking grade before getting hurt.”
One of the top tackles in this year’s class, despite suffering a season-ending knee injury last October, Simmons had the look of a top prospect at a critical position. Across two-plus seasons in Columbus, Simmons only allowed five sacks while garnering an elite 82 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
“When he’s healthy, he looked very good,” an NFL offensive line coach told me recently, of Simmons. “He’s a natural pass protector. It’s going to be interesting to see where he winds up.”
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