Weighing in on Kansas City’s first-round pick.
The Kansas City Chiefs have made their first selection!
The Chiefs took Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons with the 32nd overall pick in the first round. We have insta-grades from the three members of the Arrowhead Pride Draft Team.
Caleb: This was a heck of a draft pick by the Chiefs, and if it all works out, they might have just found their cornerstone left tackle for a decade.
On film, Simmons is the complete package. Quick feet, strong base, good hands for a college prospect, good flexibility through the hips, knees, and ankles, supreme athletic ability in space — and a good, nasty streak to finish plays. The most significant concern for Simmons had to do with the patellar knee injury that ended his 2024 campaign and limited him in offseason testing. The Chiefs had a top-30 visit with Simmons at the team’s facility, and it was likely the results of this visit that gave the team the confidence to draft him at 32.
Simmons will still have aspects of his game to work on, including the power he delivers with his strikes in pass protection, and he will have to overcome his arm length deficiencies, but the tools are there, and if need be, he could have a full season to develop his skills and ensure that he is fully healthy.
Grade: A
Nate: Not sure the night could’ve gone better for Kansas City. When Simmons was healthy last season, he looked like a top-15 tackle prospect, which the Chiefs are never in range to acquire. Simmons is a smooth athlete who can hold up on an island, but also brings physicality to the run game. He will fit in any run scheme, which has been a problem for previous Chiefs tackles. There is risk with his medicals and the lack of elite competition, but Ohio State’s offense and pass protection were never as good after Simmons left. If everything works out, the Chiefs have finally solved left tackle. On top of this, they got an extra fifth-round pick!
Grade: A
Rocky: The Chiefs are okay with his medicals and arm length, which were the only two question marks with Simmons, who is an elite pass blocker. He was the last of this tier of left tackles you could justify spending a first-round pick on. The board fell perfectly for the Chiefs to be able to get their guy at 32 overall. If everything goes according to plan, the Chiefs just landed Mahomes’ blindside protector for the rest of his career.
Simmons is an elite pass protector and a pretty good run blocker as well. If he had not been injured in 2024, he would probably not be there at the end of the round.
The added fifth-round pick from trading back with the Eagles was a Chiefs kiss on the first round.
Grade: A