Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are banking on a pair of fresh faces to rejuvenate their defensive front after a noticeable dip in production last season.
Despite boasting established stars like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, the Chiefs’ defense finished 2024 with just 39 sacks – nearly 20 fewer than the year before. With that in mind, Kansas City turned to the NFL Draft in hopes of injecting new life into their pass rush.
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Late in the second round, the Chiefs selected Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott at No. 63 overall. Just three picks later, they added Louisville edge rusher Ashton Gillotte at No. 66. The back-to-back selections sent a clear message: Kansas City is committed to building defensive depth and pressure from the line of scrimmage.
Director of player personnel Mike Bradway expressed confidence in both rookies, praising their fit and upside.
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“You can never have enough of them,” Bradway said. “I think Omarr with his inside rush and Ashton just with his versatility, we thought those guys are just too hard to find.”
Filling gaps with speed and grit
Norman-Lott brings quickness and interior pressure to a unit that struggled to collapse the pocket without Chris Jones on the field. Though slightly undersized for a defensive tackle at 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, his relentless motor and burst off the snap help him overcome those limitations. In his two years with the Volunteers after transferring from Arizona State, he tallied 44 tackles and 9.5 sacks.
“He fills a big need,” former Chiefs defensive end Leger Douzable said.
“That twitch and pass-rush potential from the interior-outside of Chris Jones, Kansas City just didn’t have it.”
Gillotte, meanwhile, adds explosiveness and bend to the edge. His performance at the NFL Combine ranked among the top for edge rushers, thanks to his combination of speed and power. With violent hands and the ability to get low and win leverage, Gillotte fits the mold of a high-ceiling player. He’s also connected to Karlaftis through their shared college defensive line coach, which could help him acclimate quickly.
Gillotte’s 2023 season was a standout – 11 sacks over 14 games, along with a team-leading 10 tackles for loss. Bradway described him as the total package.
“This kid plays a hundred miles an hour,” he said. “He’s everything you want in a football player. From makeup to how he plays the game … the guy is absolutely relentless.”
The Chiefs open OTAs this week, where all eyes will be on the development of Norman-Lott and Gillotte. The team is looking for improvement from a pass rush that finished tied for 19th in the league, and both rookies are expected to contribute early.
With proven talent around them and clear opportunities ahead, the duo could be critical to the Chiefs returning to form on defense. Their progress will be a key storyline as Kansas City eyes another deep postseason run.
This news was originally published on this post .
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