Chiefs 2025 NFL Draft Teaser: Assessing Possibilities During KC's Playoff Bye

With the Chiefs off this week, it's a perfect time to look at the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft and the possible positions Kansas City could look to target early.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates a turnover against Clemson Tigers in the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoffs first round game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs earned a bye in the AFC and, thus, don't have to play on Wild Card weekend. This allows for stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, specifically the future and the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.

Due to the L'Jarius Sneed trade, Kansas City will have four top-100 picks in April. This will give them the opportunity to get more young talent in the building and improve on their shortcomings.

The biggest weakness this (regular) season for the Chiefs was the left tackle position. It's hard to find immediate starting-level players at tackle outside the first round's top half. Kansas City would have to trade up to get into that range. On top of that, this year's tackle class is weak and most analysts see many highly-rated ones moving to the interior due to their measurables. With that in mind, can the Chiefs afford to use another high-value pick on a tackle that will likely need time to develop?

In the past five drafts, the Chiefs have used three top-100 picks on tackles that can be classified as "developmental." Lucas Niang, Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia have all not been the answer at either tackle spot for their own reasons, which has led to a revolving door since 2021. Protecting Patrick Mahomes is of the utmost importance, but how will the team handle asset management at a position with a low success rate after the top part of the first round?

Another position that has been in flux this season is cornerback. Trent McDuffie is a superstar and one of the best corners in the league but since Jaylen Watson went down with injury, the weakness of the depth at the position has been highlighted. The Chiefs' defense is at its best when it can weaponize McDuffie in the slot, so adding more talent to afford that flexibility would be intriguing.

Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Shavon Revel (East Carolina), and Trey Amos (Ole Miss) are names that could be the selection for the Chiefs in the first round if they decide to go the cornerback route. While they would all make sense, the one who could become the draft darling for most Chiefs fans is Jahdae Barron from Texas. His versatility to play on the boundary or in the slot, with his willingness to play the run and blitz, is very enticing in Steve Spagnuolo's system.

How many years have to go by before Chris Jones can get pass-rushing help on the interior? The Chiefs have kicked players inside on passing downs (George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna), but only due to a lack of heavy investment. Since the turn of the decade, the Chiefs have drafted one defensive tackle, which was in the sixth round.

Jones will be 31 by the start of next season and just played a career-high 83% of snaps. It would be nice for Kansas City to have the ability to lower the number of snaps he plays throughout the year which, in turn, could help prolong his career. This year's draft is very strong at defensive tackle, so it would be a good time for the Chiefs to find a running mate for their best defensive player.

Lastly, running back Isiah Pacheco has been a massive success as the seventh-round pick. His never-give-up, hard-nosed running style is a joy to watch. However, he hasn't always been the best for the stability of the ground game. While Pacheco was out due to injury, the Chiefs posted the No. 1 rushing offense in terms of success rate. Pacheco is naturally a boom-or-bust runner due to his struggles with vision.

That success rate was with a past-his-prime Kareem Hunt. If Kansas City can get a true workhorse back and have Pacheco as the change-up secondary back, it could greatly improve their running game and pay dividends for the offense.

April will be here before we know it, and there are plenty of options on the table for the back-to-back champs.

Read More: Kansas City Chiefs 2025 Season Opponents – Top-Tier Teams Scheduled for KC