Chiefs draft OT Simmons in round one

General manager Brett Veach takes a big swing at left tackle after drafting Ohio State's Josh Simmons.

The Kansas City Chiefs still found a way to draft at pick 32 on the opening night of the draft after making a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. With that pick, they hope they will solidify the position that has plagued them in two different Super Bowl losses and gain stability for the first time since Eric Fisher was on the roster. With the 32nd pick, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Josh Simmons, an offensive tackle out of Ohio State.

He is arguably one of the best offensive tackles in this class and was considered that before his season ended after five games in 2024 when he came down with a serious knee injury. That is the reason why he wound up being the fifth offensive tackle taken off of the board and ultimately falling to the Chiefs.

He stands at six-foot-five, 311 pounds and comes in as a well-rounded pass and run-blocker, so long as he returns well from injury. He works well in space and has the athleticism head coach Andy Reid desires in his bookends. Following the pick, Reid noted they were surprised he was there and that playing at a big school is a positive.

Simmons started his collegiate career as a three-star recruit who initially enrolled at San Diego State University, which is where he is from. After red-shirting his freshman season, he started every game the following season at right tackle for the Aztecs.

After excelling there, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Ohio State, where he made 19 straight starts until coming down with that knee injury. He anchored an offensive line that took Ohio State to an 11-2 record in 2023 but was unable to suit up for the stretch run of the Buckeyes National Championship season in 2024.

Across one and a half seasons as the blind side blocker at OSU, he allowed just one sack on 1,130 snaps at the position, according to PFF. Through the first five games of the 2024 season, he allowed just one hurry and zero sacks.

To put the convenient fall into perspective, he was PFF’s 18th overall prospect and third-ranked offensive tackle, even with the injury. Our KCSN Draft Guide had him ranked as the 14th overall prospect, to go along with a glowing write-up.

While Reid said after tonight’s pick that “he’ll definitely be ready for training camp,” the Chiefs are well-positioned to handle his timetable. On the first day of free agency general manager Brett Veach signed Jaylon Moore, San Francisco 49ers Trent Williams’ former backup, to be the left tackle.

Right tackle Jawaan Taylor could be entering his final season in Kansas City as well, which is another reason to make the pick. If Moore and Taylor play well, it could give Simmons time to properly recover without rushing him back with an eye more toward 2026.

If Simmons is ready for the season and he does not beat Moore out, he would offer swing-tackle depth that they did not have. Brett Veach forecasted this exact situation last week regarding the draft, how it relates to left tackle and how Moore’s two-year deal after starting just 12 games through his first four seasons fits into that picture.

“We’re really excited about Jaylon Moore and what he could bring to the table,” Veach said. “Again, small sample size, but it’s been really good and we’re excited to work with him. But it’s a long season and Jaylon has a two-year contract and (right tackle) Jawaan (Taylor) is getting towards the tail end of his contract, too, so you always have to have one on the present, one eye on the future.”

“So, I think that obviously any chance you have to draft a guy that you can project to be a starting left tackle, you do that. They’re really hard to come by. I mean, it’s not one of those things – I mean, look, you can hit on any position throughout the course of the draft, but consistently, those slam dunk franchise tackles, they’re typically Top 15, Top 20 picks. So, if one does slide or if we’re able to get one even in later rounds if you think has a higher upside than some of those prospects in past years, you don’t ever shy away from that position.”

Kansas City also gained pick 164 in the trade back where they only had to move down one slot. The Chiefs did not hold a fifth-rounder before the trade.