
The Kansas City Chiefs are certainly living a charmed life with five Super Bowl appearances in a six-season span, making them the only team to do so in league history.
However, the Philadelphia Eagles exposed the Chiefs’ weak spots in a major way in their 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory, a game in which Philadelphia led by as many as 34-0 — the largest deficit of quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ career. Two things that stood out like blinking red lights for Kansas City was its offensive tackles and a lack of playmaking in the passing game. Both elements compounded on each other. The Chiefs didn’t have players who were able to consistently separate on their routes in the passing game, including tight end Travis Kelce at the age of 35, and their offensive tackles were totally overwhelmed by the Eagles’ pass rush. Mahomes was sacked a career-high six times, and the Chiefs produced just 23 yards in the first half, the second-fewest in a first half in Super Bowl history.
Outside of the obvious wide receiver and offensive line needs, their defensive line could use some reinforcing post-free agency and their run game needs to be addressed. Let’s take a look at what Kansas City needs to prioritize, the picks at its disposal entering the draft plus some of CBS Sports’ expert mock draft projections.
Kansas City Chiefs team needs
- Team needs: OT, DL, WR, CB, RB, IOL, EDGE, S
- Notable additions: OT Jaylon Moore, CB Kristian Fulton, RB Elijah Mitchell, QB Bailey Zappe, QB Gardner Minshew
- Notable losses: G Joe Thuney, S Justin Reid, DT Tershawn Wharton, WR DeAndre Hopkins, WR Justin Watson, WR Mecole Hardman, RB Samaje Perine, DT Derrick Nnadi, QB Carson Wentz
Kansas City Chiefs 2025 draft picks
- Overall selections: 8
Round | Pick | Player | Grade |
---|---|---|---|
1 | No. 31 | ||
2 | No. 63 | ||
3 | No. 66 (from Titans) | ||
3 | No. 95 | ||
4 | No. 133 | ||
7 | No. 226 (from Panthers) | ||
7 | No. 251 | ||
7 | No. 257 |
Kansas City Chiefs mock drafts, projections
Tyler Booker: The Chiefs are +105 to take an offensive lineman first versus +175 to go DL/edge, and there are options both on the outside in Josh Conerly Jr. and at guard with Booker. The difference is that Booker is -400 to go in Round 1 while Conerly is half that at -200. — R.J. White
Josh Conerly Jr.: The Eagles exposed the Chiefs’ offensive tackles in Super Bowl LIX. The 2024 All-Big Ten left tackle allowed the lowest quarterback pressure rate (1.6%) in the conference in 2024 (minimum 400 snaps) and surrendered just two sacks on 1,032 career pass-block snaps. Kansas City takes care of Patrick Mahomes here. — Garrett Podell
Josh Simmons: Simmons is coming off a torn patellar tendon, but he is the best left tackle in this class when healthy — and it’s not close. The Chiefs can afford to make this pick and wait with Jaylon Moore signed as a free agent. — Pete Prisco
Darius Alexander: Alexander had great tape for Toledo last fall, then he balled out at the Senior Bowl against some of the best players in the country, and had a solid week at the combine. He’s a high-motor player who has both juice and power, consistently uses his hands well and is not only disruptive as a pass rusher but is hard to move against the run. He’s improved his draft stock after the season, after the college all-star games, and now after the combine. Don’t expect that trend to change in the lead up to the draft. — Ryan Wilson
Check out the latest NFL mock drafts from CBS Sports experts along with full coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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