Breaking News: Kansas City Chiefs find in Josh Simmons the protector they missed in the Super Bowl…see more

Andy Reid understood quickly that to compete with confidence, the offensive front needed a makeover, especially to protect the quarterback’s blind side.

That’s why, with the last pick of the first round in the 2025 Draft, the Chiefs chose offensive lineman Josh Simmons. His profile carried high risk but also immense potential.

At 22 years old, standing 1.96 meters tall and weighing over 140 kilograms, when healthy, he is virtually impenetrable. Simmons entered the Draft as one of the most complete linemen in college football.

His time at Ohio State showcased impressive stats, such as allowing zero sacks in his last full season and physically dominating his opponents. But everything changed when he suffered a severe knee injury, a torn patellar tendon, that sidelined him for the latter half of his final college year.

Concerns about his character also arose. Several teams passed on him, and what once seemed like a top-10 selection dropped all the way to 32nd overall, where Kansas City decided to take a chance. “From a pure talent standpoint, the Chiefs might have gotten the best value in the draft,” wrote Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, calling him the team’s “most dangerous addition” for 2025.

Just weeks after being drafted, Simmons joined the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. Although he hasn’t yet participated in contact drills, he’s impressed the coaching staff with his attitude, attention to detail, and energy.

“It’s great,” he said at a press conference. “Everything you want as a player is here. The playbook isn’t as complex as I imagined, but it’s different from Chip Kelly’s system, so you have to study it well.”