3. Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
Although Kansas City is likely to attack left tackle early in the draft, they could come back on day two or day three and draft a guard. A day two projected option is Sacramento State guard Jackson Slater. Slater measured in at six-foot-three and 311 pounds during the NFL Combine. While he is smaller than Suamataia, the fact that he is a natural guard may be more beneficial to the Chiefs
According to the scouting reports on Slater, his strengths include having great core strength, being masterful in pass protection technique and possessing nastiness when climbing to the second level.
While being strong in pass protection is definitely a positive for Patrick Mahomes' health, it's important to keep in mind that Slater didn't play against top-tier competition. As a result, it will take him time to adjust to NFL-level competition.
On the other hand, his weaknesses include his anchor strength being weak against strong interior defenders due to his weight and a lack of recovery speed after he loses the initial block. Slater can certainly work to fix his anchor strength problem by hitting the weight room, but the other problem could be a bigger issue.
That said, some scouts project him to be a fourth-round pick, meaning Kansas City could select him with their late third-round pick. Even if Slater is gone, expect the Chiefs to select a guard at some point during the 2025 draft.