It’s no secret the Chiefs' offensive line has been at the center of draft conversations for months now. And on the surface, it looks like they could use another quality starter at right tackle, as well as some depth. But let’s take a deeper look into what this team's o-line looks like going into the draft.
Drafted in 2021 and signed to long-term contracts in 2024 and 2025, respectively, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith are amongst the best players at their positions and stalwarts on the interior. The left side of the line is all but guaranteed to be very good for years to come, with Kingsley Suamataia entering his third pro season, and second at left guard, after performing very well following the departure of Joe Thuney. Kansas City's first-round pick in last year’s draft, Josh Simmons, played exceptionally, albeit in just eight starts, and should be fully healthy and ready to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind spot for the foreseeable future.
The lone question mark is projected starting right tackle Jaylon Moore, whom the Chiefs signed to a two-year, $30 million contract last offseason to play on the left side before drafting Simmons. Moore played 132 snaps at right tackle last season, allowing just three sacks while taking zero penalties, according to Pro Football Focus. While he’s not an elite talent, Moore is a solid lineman, giving the Chiefs a group up front that NFL teams would die for.
All this to say the Chiefs, in my opinion, would be absolutely crazy to draft a tackle in the first round. It would be an effort to try to improve a strength when there are real flaws elsewhere on the roster.
Chiefs Should Be Picky at Offensive Line in 2026 NFL Draft
Round 1 - Max Iheanachor - Arizona State
A certified right tackle prospect, Max Iheanachor is a very intriguing talent. Born in Nigeria, before moving to Compton at 13, Iheanachor did not play football growing up. Instead, soccer and basketball were his areas of expertise. Thankfully, Iheanachor's AAU basketball coach suggested that his size and footwork could lead to more opportunities in football rather than on the hardwood.
Once he started to grow, football became his natural sport. At nearly 6’6”, 320 lbs, and 33.8-inch arms, Iheanachor scored a 9.87 out of 10 RAS (Relative Athletic Score). He’s an uber-athletic, high-trait tackle with an ascending understanding of the game.
After two years at East Los Angeles College, Iheanachor transferred to Arizona State, where he started 30 games at right tackle. His athleticism and lateral movement jump off the screen, as well as his strength when he gets out on the move in the screen game. With a talent still as raw as Iheanachor, his game needs major refinement and might not be a year-one starter right off the bat. However, that makes him more of a blank canvas for the coaching staff to work with, and his hands and footwork should improve under high-level coaching and with more experience. With the No. 29 overall pick, Iheanachor is one of the very, very few tackles I would be okay with the Chiefs taking.
Round 2 - Gennings Dunker - Iowa
At 6’5”, 315 lbs, with limited athletic ability, Gennings Dunker best projects as a guard, but could work as a backup swing tackle if needed, given his three years of starting experience in college. Dunker's got a great frame for the pros, with really solid pad level and heavy hands. The former Hawkeye standout punishes linebackers, both when they blitz or when he climbs to the second level of the defense.
Dunker's lack of lateral quickness gives him problems at tackle, which would only emphasize his move to guard as a good career decision. As I outlined before, guard is not a position of need, especially in the second round of the draft, and Dunker would probably be a bit of a reach for Brett Veach with the No. 40 overall pick.
Round 3 - Keylan Rutledge - Georgia Tech
Another certified guard prospect, Keylan Rutledge, is an exciting prospect who has been rising on recent draft boards. After spending two seasons at Middle Tennessee State University, Rutledge finished his college career at Georgia Tech, starting all 26 games at right guard, earning First-Team All-ACC honors in both seasons. He scored a 9.62 RAS and measured in at 6’4”, 315 lbs, both better than expected.
Rutledge is an excellent worker and great teammate, but on the football field, he is nasty in the best way. He is incredibly tough and will stay on his block sometimes even past the whistle, generating a lot of knock-back power. Rutledge works really well with combo blocks and out of double teams. Where he struggles is when defenders bull rush him. He struggles to sink his hips and anchor himself, allowing defensive linemen to push him back into the pocket. I would expect Rutledge to be a day-one starter on most teams. For the Chiefs, having him as your first backup guard, who is good enough to play either side, would be a luxury.
Round 4 - Dametrious Crownover - Texas A&M
Let’s get the obvious out of the way with Dametrious Crownover. This is one giant of a person, measuring in at nearly 6’7”, 320 lbs. With most of his college experience playing right tackle, Crownover is the kind of fourth-round, tackle project the Chiefs historically love to take a look at. He has lengthy 35-inch arms and 10-inch hands, both of which show up on the field.
His size and athleticism are unique, but Crownover's fundamentals need time to improve before teams can comfortably slot him in as a starter, especially in the pass game. He routinely gets out of his stance with a quick first step, but then erratic footwork takes over, and he finds himself losing his rep in more ways than one. In a pass-heavy offense like Kansas City, Crownover may not be the best fit day one, but as a project right tackle, with his attributes, it would be worth a fourth-round dart throw.
Round 5 - Drew Shelton - Penn State
If Brett Veach and co. are for whatever reason concerned about the long-term availability of Josh Simmons, Drew Shelton could be a really good LT prospect to target on Day 3 as insurance. He’s never been anything but a blindside protector, with two years of starting experience in college. Shelton is a natural athlete with a basketball background and a very fluid mover in space. His run blocking is best utilized in an outside zone blocking scheme, which the Chiefs should hopefully do much more of than in past years, given that it’s running back Kenneth Walker III’s biggest strength.
Where Shelton could improve is his play strength, as he is barely reaching 310 lbs at 6’5”. Shelton can get to blocks easily and makes first contact really well, but his ability to sustain the block through the play and hold the defender in one spot would be much better if he tacks on another 5-10 lbs of lean muscle. One year under an NFL-managed diet plan and workout routine would do wonders for Shelton.
Round 6 - Billy Schrauth - Notre Dame
A team captain in his senior year at Notre Dame, Billy Schrauth needs experience more than anything at the next level. Schrauth started 12 games last season, playing both left and right guard. In 2024, however, Schrauth only made seven starts before a sprained left MCL ended his season. At almost 6’5” and 310 lbs, Schrauth has a stout guard frame, really good grip strength to hold onto blocks, and positions himself well in both pass and run sets.
The downside to Schrauth creating such a sturdy stance is that his feet get really heavy, and that’s hard to coach out of a guy. Because of this, he lacks quickness and cannot react as well to whatever stunts defenses throw his way. Injuries are certainly a concern after missing nine games over the past two years. Schrauth will probably never be a consistent starter, but providing a Mike Caliendo-like impact to the Chiefs as he grows his game is more than you would expect from a sixth-rounder.
Round 7 - Aamil Wagner - Notre Dame
Another Notre Dame draft candidate, Aamil Wagner, has many similar attributes the Chiefs look for in an offensive tackle. He stands 6’6”, with 34-inch arms and over 10-inch hands. Wagner also scored in the 90th percentile in the 20-yard split, and his personal character traits are reportedly through the roof after serving as a 2025 team captain in South Bend.
The issue with Wagner is that he has marginal, at best, athletic traits, which doesn’t bode too well for a guy who weighed in barely above 300 lbs. And the lack of size and strength is noticeable as he plays with a high pad level, causing him to get bull-rushed off the screen at times. Once he enters the NFL, Wagner will need to gain at least 20 pounds of good weight to keep the line of scrimmage. This can be done, especially under the Chiefs' management. The question will be whether Kansas City can tap into more of his athleticism and round out Wagner as a potential backup swing tackle.
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