2017 NFL Draft Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Garett Bolles

The Kansas City Chiefs might not be in the market for an offensive lineman, but if Garett Bolles is available, he may be the best player on the board.

In an era where talented offensive linemen are tough to come by, the Kansas City Chiefs are one of the few teams to be set with their front five. However, that doesn’t mean the Chiefs won’t be looking at potential upgrades. If Garett Bolles of Utah is available, he could be an upgrade worth pursuing.

The Chiefs made a significant investment at offensive tackle last year by signing Mitchell Schwartz. Kansas City then signed former #1 overall pick Eric Fisher to a four year extension. That should give KC their starting tackles for the next several years.

Behind Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, there isn’t a lot known about the Chiefs options. Mike Person was signed to a one-year deal. That isn’t much of a guarantee. However, it is very unlikely that any team would draft a tackle early in that situation.

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However, if the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to take the best player available, then position may not matter. The Chiefs are in an interesting position in that there are no immediate needs on the roster. That opens the door to taking players based solely on talent.

Garett Bolles – OT – Utah

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Despite what many call a “troubled past”, Garett Bolles has done nothing but excel during his college football career. Bolles racked up honors at the JUCO level before going to Utah. There, he was named to the All-Pac12 team.

What stands out right away with Garett Bolles is his athleticism. Moves quickly to get to the outside, and can cut off the inside move. Solid footwork to keep his feet under him and constantly moving. Bolles shows a mean streak and looks to finish all of his blocks.

The issues with Garett Bolles stem mostly from his lack of size. Needs to add weight so that he can handle larger NFL pass rushers. Has difficulty moving defensive linemen off their mark. Concern that he won’t develop much due to body type and age. Will over-commit in his run blocking to make up for lack of size and strength.

Ultimately the Chiefs should pass on Garett Bolles. There isn’t enough need for the Chiefs to actively pursue a lineman. That is especially true of a player like Bolles who still has a good deal of developing to do. The investment just doesn’t match the potential value here.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are in a good position to draft players simply based on talent. That means there isn’t any position that can be truly crossed off the board. However, it is probably safe to assume the Chiefs won’t take an offensive tackle until much later in the draft.