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[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs Draft: Defensive tackle Lee Hunter met with KC at Combine

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 06: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive lineman Lee Hunter (#2) runs up field during the Big 12 Championship Game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and BYU Cougars on December 6, 2025 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With the NFL Scouting Combine underway, the Kansas City Chiefs have been busy meeting with top candidates in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

On Wednesday, the defensive linemen of this year’s class met with reporters. Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter was among the players to mention that he had met with the Chiefs.

Source: Texas Tech DL Lee Hunter, a projected first-round pick, has met with the following teams, among others:

Bears
Buccaneers
Chiefs
Giants
Jets pic.twitter.com/LddGqdDrKh

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) February 25, 2026

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech says he would love playing with Red Raiders legend Patrick Mahomes if the Chiefs draft him. #NFLCombine @AtoZSportsNFL pic.twitter.com/SUfuqRxbOA

— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) February 25, 2026

Hunter also discussed what it would mean to play alongside fellow Texas Tech alum, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and how he would feel to be drafted by Kansas City.

Projected as one of the top interior defensive linemen in the draft class, Hunter currently projects to be in play for the Chiefs at the 40th-overall selection; The Athletic’s consensus big board shows Hunter as the 36th-ranked player by the draft media.

Kansas City will have options at either that pick or the ninth selection along the defensive line — and Hunter may have to be considered with the team’s Day 1 pick.

Background ​

On Thursday, Hunter measured at 6 feet 3 1/2 inches and 318 pounds with an arm-length mark of 33 1/4 inches.

Lee Hunter is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 3.72 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1285 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/sGWkDm89Mu pic.twitter.com/1HtiR9uKjD

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

He posted a 5.18-second 40-yard dash time— with an official 1.79-second 10-yard-split— and registered 21.5 inches on the vertical leap and 8 feet 4 inches on the broad jump.

Hunter won’t blow any teams away with his athletic prowess, but his college career was accomplished enough to warrant the attention he has been getting in the pre-draft process.

After redshirting and not playing at Auburn in 2021, Hunter transferred to the University of Central Florida, where he tallied 21.5 career tackles for loss in three seasons.

For the final season of his college career, Hunter transferred to Texas Tech, where he became a unanimous first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 performer.

The big man has a ton of upside, and this shows up in his film.

Film Evaluation​

Hunter is a very strong player and should be able to play any position from the 3-technique all the way down to the zero nose tackle. With a powerful base and low center of gravity, he can root out interior offensive linemen and move them into the backfield.

Lee Hunter can push the pocket with the best of them. Not always the quickest winner, but with his strength, he can command double teams. The pressure here blew the play up. pic.twitter.com/1YTGxQI0Bo

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) February 1, 2026

As a larger player, Hunter has good quickness off the snap and in short bursts. With leverage and drive, he can crush pockets and help set up plays for his teammates.

Hunter gets a small amount of push initially, but once he drops his hips and fully extends his arms, his full power is on display. He walks the guard into the pocket and flushes the quarterback, setting up his teammates to make the stop.

One of Hunter’s best traits is his ability to play with low pads and good leverage. This is where he looks his best in pass rushing, and where he will make his largest impact in the NFL.

Lee Hunter getting under pads does not go well for opposing OLinemen. pic.twitter.com/lyFk2xgIpX

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) February 1, 2026

On the snap, Hunter quickly reads run or pass, and when the quarterback pulls the ball, he fires both hands into the center’s chest and crushes him into the pocket. The quarterback manages to escape, but linebackers are there, ready to swarm.

Hunter might not be a high-volume sack player during his career, but his ability to blow up plays quickly and move men in the backfield will make him a quality pass rusher. Being a solid pass rusher will find him a home quickly in the NFL Draft, but his ability to stuff the run and dominate the line of scrimmage will keep him around for a while.

Hunter plays two gaps as well as any player in the draft class. Gives up no ground off the snap, and rag-dolls the center to take away running lanes. pic.twitter.com/Qm13sHBUcy

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) February 27, 2026

Hunter has the size and strength to be an immediate two-gap run defender in the NFL. On the snap, Hunter engages with the center, but quickly overtakes the right A-gap, forcing the back to look to run elsewhere. As the rest of the Red Raider defense swarms, Hunter “drives the bus” with the center before disengaging to get in on the tackle.

The base strength and core strength were on full display, as well as his ability to read and react to what the running back does.

The ability to read and react to what ball carriers are doing is a major plus in the NFL, but Huter also knows how to throw his weight around when he needs to.

Lee Hunter is blowing the play up on 4th and 1.
He creates immediate penetration in the A-gap, forcing the back to bounce, and creating a pileup to help come up with the stop. pic.twitter.com/FA7D6igPwg

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) February 27, 2026

On fourth-and-one, Hunter blasts off the line of scrimmage and moves the right guard against his will into the backfield. This creates a domino effect, and as the guard tumbles into the running back, the rest of the defense attacks the ball to make the stop.

Hunter doesn’t get credit for the tackle, but he is the one who creates the play. Not every draft prospect has the ability to take over a play fully, and very few also have the “grown man strength” that Hunter plays with.

The bottom line​

The ninth-overall selection might not be the most lucrative spot to select him, but if the Chiefs were to trade back in the first round, or if Hunter is around at pick 40, that’s where the sweet spot would be.

The team is in desperate need of new, fresh bodies along the defensive line, and Hunter could come in and make an immediate impact as the nose tackle (1-technique) on run downs, and eventually work his way into being a three-down player if his stamina improves.

Kansas City has long needed to pair a high-level interior player alongside Chris Jones, and as Jones ages, it will be even more important to find players who can help take the load off of his shoulders and keep him fresh for the biggest games.

Hunter needs refinement— like all prospects— but his run defense can get him on the field early in his career while he looks to add to his pass rush arsenal.

He checks the boxes for what defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants in an interior defensive lineman, and for what the Chiefs need to make sure the defense can return to elite form.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...xas-tech-defensive-tackle-lee-hunter-met-team

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs fan discussion: The most random jerseys across Chiefs Kingdom

A Chiefs fan, dressed as a werewolf, cheers on the team during Kansas City's 13-10 win over the Buffalo Bills in overtime at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Sunday, October 31, 2010. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

We’re in that slow period between the Super Bowl and the new league year, where it sometimes feels like the NFL world has ground to a halt. With new players joining the Kansas City Chiefs soon, it feels like a great time to ask: What is the most random Chiefs jersey you own?

I love my Derrick Johnson jersey that has autographs from Travis Kelce to Tyreek Hill to Mitchell Schwartz on it — but that’s not random enough. I’ll submit the Tony Moeaki jersey that is still hanging in my closet. That one-handed touchdown catch against the San Francisco 49ers during his rookie season was awesome.

Join the conversation!​

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Scroll down to the comments and let us know where you are! We’ll update this list as locations are shared.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...efs-fan-discussion-most-random-jerseys-chiefs

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs Draft: 3 takeaways from NFL Combine workouts, results and news

CLEMSON, SC - AUGUST 30: T.J. Parker #3 of the Clemson Tigers rushes on defense while being blocked by Weston Davis #75 of the LSU Tigers during a college football game on August 30, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

From Thursday through Sunday, the NFL Scouting Combine held on-field workouts and conducted measurements to provide essential data points for the 2026 NFL Draft class.

There is so much more to evaluating football players than physical profiles and athletic testing, but the years of figures have added up, and organizations value the knowledge that comes with it. There are certain benchmark measurements for certain positions, while each player can boost — or tank — their draft stock depending on performance in on-field workouts.

Knowing the Kansas City Chiefs and general manager Brett Veach are in a position to make a high-profile pick (or two), here are three takeaways from the NFL Combine:

1. The Chiefs can’t plan on drafting Jeremiyah Love at pick No. 9​

If Chiefs fans were excited about the potential selection of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love before the Combine, his performance spiked those emotions — only for the realization to hit that he may have run himself into a higher slot than the ninth overall.

At 6 feet tall and weighing 212 pounds, Love registered the second-fastest mark among this year’s backs in the 40-yard dash: 4.36 seconds. Initially, he generated an unofficial 10-yard split of 1.49 seconds, but the 1.55-second result still matches that of Buffalo Bills’ running back James Cook.

He was already considered one of the best players in the draft, but now, he has proven to equip speed that puts him on par with the most explosive backs in the NFL.

These are the 40-yard dash results (and 10-yard splits, if available) of some prominent ballcarriers:

• Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles — 4.4 seconds
• Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions — 4.36 seconds (1.52 seconds)
• Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons — 4.46 seconds (1.52 seconds)
• James Cook, Bills — 4.42 seconds (1.55)
• Kenneth Walker III — 4.38 seconds (1.49)

He showed impressive top-end speed at Notre Dame, but the strong confirmation may solidify his status as one of the most sought-after players in this draft. In a class widely regarded as thin on first-round-caliber players, positional value may be overlooked by top-8 teams in favor of the special talent Love continues to prove he has.

2. Defensive line is — and should be — a focus for Chiefs’ draft strategy​

The defensive linemen were the first position group to speak to reporters during Combine week, and it was immediately obvious that Veach and his staff were doing their homework on the top guys.

Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami felt like he “had a strong interview” with the Chiefs, and David Bailey from Texas Tech “enjoyed his meeting” with Kansas City. Those are the two highest-ranked defensive linemen by consensus in this year’s class, but even the third-ranked edge defender — Keldric Faulk from Auburn — shared that he met formally with the Chiefs.

Even if the team doesn’t address it with pick No. 9, there are a lot of significant options in the ranges of the team’s second and third-round picks — especially when considering the physical and athletic profiles of those available (Relative Athletic Score is courtesy of @MathBomb on X).

The following players are in play around pick 40 (based on their place in The Athletic’s consensus rankings):

• EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson (31st)
  • 6 feet 3 inches tall, 263 pounds with 33 1/8-inch arms
  • RAS: 9.33 unofficial (fifth-highest among EDGE prospects)
• DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech (36th)
  • 6 feet 3 3/8 inches tall, 318 pounds with 33 1/4-inch arms
• DT Christen Miller, Georgia (38th)
  • 6 feet 3 5/8 inches tall, 321 pounds with 33-inch arms
• EDGE Zion Young, Missouri (39th)
  • 6 feet 6 inches tall, 262 pounds with 33-inch arms

These are the potential options around the 74th overall selection:

• EDGE LT Overton, Alabama (65th)
  • 6 feet 3 inches tall, 274 pounds with 33 1/4-inch arms
• EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (71st)
  • 6 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, 256 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms
  • RAS: 9.93 unofficial (highest among EDGE prospects)
  • Led EDGE prospects in broad jump (10 feet 11 inches)
• DT Darrell Jackson Jr, Florida State (72nd)
  • 6 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, 315 pounds with 34 3/4-inch arms
• DT Domonique Orange, Iowa State (75th)
  • 6 feet 2 inches tall, 322 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms

Whether the Chiefs would be drafting a long, physical defensive end, or a massive, stout nose tackle to take up space next to defensive tackle Chris Jones, Day 2 feels like a sweet spot for Kansas City to replenish the talent on the defensive front — maybe even double up with both picks.

3. There are potential difference-making safeties not named Caleb Downs​

As much as I believe Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a special player who could lift the Chiefs’ defense back towards an elite unit quicker than other options at nine overall, the Combine solidified what many draft analysts had been saying about the 2026 class: there are a lot of intriguing safeties to consider.

First of all, Arizona safety Genesis Smith — ranked 100th by consensus — told reporters he formally met with Kansas City, and Arrowhead Pride draft writer Rocky Magana pointed out how Smith could be a good fit in the Chiefs’ defense. That was before the 6-foot-2, 202-pound safety led the position in vertical leap (42.5 inches) and finished with the fourth-longest broad jump (10 feet 8 inches).

The Chiefs also met with Kansas State safety VJ Payne, who ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at 6 feet 3 inches tall and 206 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms.

Here are other notable safeties and notable results (with their consensus rankings):

• Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (33rd)
  • 6 feet 1 inch tall, 201 pounds with 31 3/8-inch arms
  • 40-yard dash time: 4.35 seconds (fourth among safeties)
  • Vertical jump: 41 inches (second among safeties)
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo (37th)
  • 6 feet 3 1/2 inches tall, 201 pounds with 32 1/8-inch arms
  • 40-yard dash time: 4.52 seconds
• Lorenzo Styles Jr, Ohio State (N/R)
  • 6 feet 1/2 inch tall, 194 pounds with 31 5/8-inch arms
  • 40-yard dash time: 4.27 seconds (led all defensive backs)
  • Vertical jump: 39 inches (fourth among safeties)

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...3-takeaways-nfl-combine-workouts-results-news

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Rams GM revealed as potential trade partner for Chiefs’ Trent McDuffie

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 9: Trent McDuffie #22 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on prior to Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Tuesday morning, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead spoke with reporters via video conference to talk about the team’s offseason strategy ahead of free agency and the draft over the next two months.

Les Snead sounds like a GM ready to be aggressive to maximize Matthew Stafford’s window:

– Open to trading a 1st-rounder for a proven player
– Secondary a big focus — “Is there an All-Pro that you could add?”
– Trade talks are intense this time of year and they’re having them

— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) March 3, 2026

One particular takeaway from the press conference — posted on X by Nate Atkins, senior Rams writer for The Athletic — grabbed the attention of Chiefs Kingdom, and it’s easy to see why.

After setting the table by describing Snead as sounding “aggressive to maximize Matthew Stafford’s window,” Atkins pointed out three notes:

• Snead sounds willing to trade a first-round pick — either the 13th or 29th selection — for “a proven player.”
• The Rams’ secondary is a priority when considering roster improvement. Atkins quoted Snead as saying, “Is there an All-Pro that you could add?”
• Snead told reporters Los Angeles is actively talking with other teams about trades

If it hasn’t become clear why Kansas City should take note of Snead’s message, here’s a hint: Chiefs’ cornerback Trent McDuffie — who is currently seeking an extension before the final year of his rookie deal — has been named to the All-Pro team twice in four seasons. In 2023, he was named first-team All-Pro slot cornerback.

McDuffie has proven himself as a difference-making player, worthy of the long-term deal he is likely seeking with Kansas City. That said, general manager Brett Veach has to monitor the trade market in a case like this, knowing he is not the only front office that would feel confident offering the 25-year old cornerback a worthwhile payday with long-term security.

In 2025, the Rams’ secondary might have been the difference between a win and a loss in the postseason. The Seattle Seahawks had success through the air in the NFC Championship, and Los Angeles may see McDuffie as an instant boost towards preventing that from happening next season.

It would be interesting to know what the compensation package could look like from Los Angeles, but it’s reasonable to discuss either pick No. 13 or No. 29 as the centerpiece in a deal for McDuffie, one of the best young cornerbacks in the league.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...m-reveals-trade-partner-chiefs-trent-mcduffie

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs Draft: NFL.com mock draft aims for right tackle with trade down

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 1: Chauncey Bowens #33 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs the ball behind the block of Monroe Freeling #57 during a game between University of Florida and University of Georgia at EverBank Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images

We are less than a week away from seeing how the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL will be shaken up by free agency. That will paint a clearer picture of the strategy for the 2026 NFL Draft, but the NFL Scouting Combine also provided clarity.

Fresh off the week of interviews and workouts, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein authored a first-round mock draft that featured the Chiefs trading back from the ninth-overall selection, moving back seven spots in the first round.

The trade compensation with the New York Jets was not disclosed, but the move set up Kansas City to take a player with buzz coming out of the Combine.

Pick 16 — Kansas City Chiefs: Monroe Freeling, Georgia — OT — Junior

PROJECTED TRADE WITH NEW YORK JETS

Following the release of Jawaan Taylor, Brett Veach moves back and takes one of the most athletic tackles in the draft. Freeling joins last year’s first-round pick, Josh Simmons, to give Patrick Mahomes a pair of young, talented bookends.

My take​

As Zierlein notes, this prediction comes in the wake of the report that Chiefs’ right tackle Jawaan Taylor will be released (or traded) soon. That leaves the team with very little in terms of long-term projection at the right tackle spot, even if Esa Pole stepped up to the plate and held down the blindside of Kansas City’s offensive line towards the end of the 2025 season.

Freeling started at left tackle for the University of Georgia last season, the third year on campus after signing with the school as a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. Over his first two seasons, he played 286 snaps at right tackle for the Bulldogs, but focused on the left side for the majority of his final two years.

At the Combine, Freeling showcased a worthwhile athletic profile on top of an intriguing physique:

Height: 6 feet 7 1/4 inches — Weight: 315 pounds
Arm length: 34 3/4 inches — Hand size: 10 3/4 inches
40-yard dash: 4.93 seconds (fourth-fastest among OL)
Vertical leap: 33 1/2 inches (fifth-highest among OL)
Broad jump: 9 feet 7 inches (third-best among OL)

Monroe Freeling vs Colin Simmons in 2025 pic.twitter.com/lARh3hGoBY

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 2, 2026

Freeling is certainly in the physical mold of the offensive tackles Kansas City has employed during the tenure of head coach Andy Reid. However, he is inexperienced in pass blocking: at Georgia, he had 255 “true pass sets” according to Pro Football Focus. Here’s how that compares to other top prospects in the class:

• Francis Mauigoa, Miami — 637 true pass sets
• Spencer Fano, Utah — 440 true pass sets
• Kadyn Proctor, Alabama — 603 true pass sets

That’s what makes him too much of a projection for a top-10 pick — and frankly, any Day 1 pick the Chiefs would trade into.

Offensive line overkill​

With a uniquely high pick this year, the Chiefs need to make as big an impact as possible on the team, and using the first-round selection to solidify right tackle could be unnecessary overkill.

With left tackle Josh Simmons — a former first-round pick — showing signs of becoming an elite blocker, and Kingsley Suamataia — once a second-round pick — seemingly realizing his potential at left guard, Kansas City should feel comfortable that the immediate and long-term future of the offensive line is in good shape with center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith leading the way.

It is an absolute luxury to make another big investment in the group, especially one as enormous as the top pick in a draft where the franchise is slotted in the top 10 for the first time since 2013.

If the board falls a way that forces general manager Brett Veach to consider moving back and adding capital instead of taking whoever the “best player available” is with the ninth pick, it should be a significant haul — and there should be a focus on obtaining a position of need through a player just not proven enough to be considered a top-10 pick.

In this specific scenario, it feels as if the Chiefs would benefit from taking one of the following players available at 16, rather than Freeling:

• WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
• DT Caleb Banks, Florida
• TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
• S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Trade-back logic​

Zierlein doesn’t provide trade details, but if Veach were to work with New York on a trade that involved just this year’s draft capital, he may have a shot at the later of the Jets’ two second-round picks.

According to the Rich Hill Trade Value Chart, the Chiefs could offer picks No. 9 and No. 74 (451 points) to New York in exchange for the 16th, 44th and 178th overall selections (448 points).

How would you feel about trading back from the ninth-overall pick? Would you want the team to solidify right tackle with this year’s first-round pick? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...draft-mock-draft-aims-right-tackle-trade-down