The Kansas City Chiefs cobbled together their defensive interior with a rotation involving Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel, and Tershawn Wharton this year. All three linemen become free agents after the season. The 2025 NFL draft provides a clear opportunity for the Chiefs to replace the three veterans with younger options.
According to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, UCLA Bruins standout Jay Toia is a shade over 6’2″ and entered the year with a 338 lb. verified weight. He’s one of the thickest, most powerful prospects in the 2025 class. Toia lacks elite length, but his 33 1/8-inch arms check the box for interior linemen.
Toia explodes off the line with natural leverage and quickly engages his arms. He deploys club-swims, spins, swims, and two-handed swipes as a pass rusher. He pushes the pocket by turning his speed into power and driving centers into the backfield.
Toia’s basic pass rush plan and limited suddenness prevent him from creating consistent havoc as a pass rusher. He generates enough interior push to disturb quarterbacks but doesn’t generate many sacks or quarterback hits.
UCLA DT Jay Toia (#93) is very undervalued in the 2025 NFL Draft class, but he’s going to provide a ton of value to an NFL team. Excels in the run game, and is a big reason the Bruins had such a potent run defense this season.
Good quickness despite massive size (6021v, 338v). pic.twitter.com/87rQEdBDZb
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) December 16, 2024
Toia’s heavy hands generate pop and knockback when he clashes with offensive linemen. This upper body strength combines with his leg drive to reset the line of scrimmage against the run and close gaps. Toia uses his powerful arms and core to toss blockers aside like children.
Toia possesses a stout lower body to anchor the point of attack before shedding the block. His lack of height occasionally impacts his balance against duo blocks. Toia can guard against this in the future by recognizing blocking combinations and anchoring earlier in plays.
Toia recently accepted an invitation to compete at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.