The Chiefs' True Feelings on First-Round Pick Josh Simmons

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted offensive lineman Josh Simmons late in the first round of the NFL Draft. His addition should help the Chiefs' struggling line improve. It was a move Kansas City desperately needed to make after Patrick Mahomes was sacked a career high last season.

Chiefs Director of Player Personnel/College Scouting Ryne Nutt addressed the media in the team's post-draft press conference. He explained what stood out about Simmons.

“Josh (Simmons) is – you could make your case for the best, but he’s definitely in the top three in this draft class in terms of what he provides. The only difference maybe between him and some other guys is he started two years and some of these other guys, like the LSU kid (Patriots LT Will Campbell) I think started more and you could say experience and stuff like that, but Josh is physically – he is elite. I mean, he is big, he’s strong, his feet jump off the tape. When you put this tape on, his set is as pretty as it looks now in terms of offensive line pass setting,"
Nutt said.

Nutt noted the fact that while Simmons undoubtedly has room to grow, he improved each season he was in college. Simmons did so while having many moving parts around him. His ability to quickly adapt to adverse situations also caught the Chiefs' eye.

"He got better every year. His first year at Ohio State, he flipped to the left side from the right side the year prior, and I think it just took him a little time to adjust to just everything, like a new playbook, a new surrounding, and a new position, essentially. It’s not as easy as people think going from the right side to the left side; there is a big difference, and sometimes it just takes people a little longer, and I think that was the case with Josh," Nutt said.

"This last year, you can watch those six games, and it’s not unfair to say he was the best tackle up to that point. It stinks he got injured because I do think – I mean, I guess it’s good for us because we got him, and that’s the only way we would’ve gotten him because that kid, he was a top-20 pick. It stinks for the kid, it hurt him on his wall and the money but things happen for a reason and it’s kind of not where you start, it’s where you finish and I think just the set up here that we have with (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid and (Offensive Line) Coach (Andy) Heck is going to be great for this kid."

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