It was a busy Thursday night as the Chiefs traded up in the top ten to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and then stuck at pick 29 and drafted Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. On day two, Kansas City had just one pick early in the second round at 40 overall and kept the train going with defensive additions, with Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas becoming the newest Chief.
It was a surprising pick, but not for the wrong reasons. For one, many expected Brett Veach and Co. to address offense in the form of a wide receiver with one of their first three picks. That position remains a need that the Chiefs could improve on day three.
What surprised me the most about drafting the Sooner was that the Chiefs do not usually go after tweener, speed-based edge rushers like Thomas, either in the draft or free agency. It’s always been more of a Steve Spagnuolo preference to go after bigger-bodied edge rushers who are strong and stout against the run, and if they can get to the quarterback, that’s a plus.
But at a still premium selection at 40, the Chiefs are obviously high on Thomas, and when you dive into his profile, it’s pretty easy to see why he could excel at the NFL level. It’s also no secret that his presence only brings trouble for a failed former first-round edge rusher on this team. And that's Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
R Mason Thomas Could Be a Direct Felix Anudike-Uzomah Replacement
Thomas comes into the league at a smaller 6’2”, 245 pounds with excellent speed, bend, and a relentless motor off the edge. It’s a skillset that should pair really nicely with starter George Karlaftis’ power and size on the other side.
In Thomas’ last two years with Oklahoma, playing top competition in the SEC, he tallied an exceptional 22 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, and returned a forced fumble for a touchdown in each year. That’s a gaudy production profile for a second-round pick. From a measurable standpoint, Thomas doesn’t blow the roof off with 31.6-inch arms and sub-9-inch hands.
But what Thomas does have is a high-octane speed rush, with incredible bend, and he is more powerful than he gets credit for. His get-off at the snap is furious, and his hands and feet work really well in unison. His lack of size limits his effectiveness in the run game, but it’s clear from the 20-plus TFL that when Thomas does get to the backfield, you can basically count the play as over at that point.
I’m not sure I would quantify Thomas as a day one starter who will see 60-plus percent of snaps, but he certainly jumps a guy or two in the edge-rushing rotation. One of those players likely to be pushed down the depth chart is 2023 first-round pick Anudike-Uzomah. Since coming into the league, FAU has been a disappointment, racking up just three sacks in two full seasons.
2025 was meant to be Anudike-Uzomah's last chance to break out, but unfortunately for him, he suffered a severe hamstring strain in August that ended his season before it even got started. He was supposed to be KC’s speed element off the edge, as that was his calling card at K-State, but for whatever reason, his game has not translated.
The best-case scenario for the Chiefs is that Thomas comes into the league and is a day-one producer, along with an FAU that finally hits his stride in the NFL. But now with Karlaftis as an entrenched starter, Ashton Gillotte showing signs of progress, along with a strong four-man defensive tackle room, Thomas coming to the Chiefs crowds a room that FAU already had trouble fitting into.
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