The Kansas City Chiefs need to fortify their trenches in the 2025 NFL draft. Trey Smith’s looming free agency and the frustrating situation at left tackle create openings Kansas City needs to address with several picks in the upcoming class.
Star lineman Jack Nelson started at left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers in each of the past three seasons, but his best long-term fit in the NFL will be at the right guard position. Nelson started at right guard in 2021 before kicking outside the following season.
Nelson maintains a wide base and sinks his butt to keep his pad level low in pass protection. He lacks elite footspeed and range to mirror explosive defenders up the arc but handles most matchups well. Nelson gains good width with his kick step but loses some juice transitioning into his slide.
Nelson possesses an anchor that outside linebackers rarely challenge. He re-anchors against bull rushers and shows off his flexibility by contorting his upper body to negate the defender’s hand usage. Nelson needs to better guard against power rushers by tightening his hand placement and using more counters.
Nelson’s tendency to overset and lack of agility to redirect and close the B-gap prevent him from projecting favorably as a pure left tackle prospect. Playing at guard shields him from this issue.
Nelson releases from the line with good burst in the run game. He takes good angles to linebackers as he climbs to the second level. Nelson moves well in space, making him a weapon on combo blocks and pulls. He quickly redirects to pick off crashing defenders but lacks the twitch to mirror some athletes.
The Chiefs don’t need to invest a top-100 selection in Nelson. His name should start nearing the top of draft boards in the fourth round, and conversations should intensify if he reaches the fifth round.
