2025 NFL Draft: 3 Prospects the Chiefs Should Target

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the verge of a potential historic Super Bowl three-peat in less than two weeks. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has an opportunity to make himself this generation’s Michael Jordan while head coach Andy Reid could place himself into the conversation for the greatest head coach of all-time.

Even with all of the success the Chiefs have had and could accomplish, the 2024 squad was not as flawless as their record shows. They may be the kings of late game management and finishing, they have areas of need that must be addressed this offseason.

When a team has a QB like Mahomes, they can get away with a lot of things and hide glaring holes that the casual fan may not notice initially. In this case, offensive tackle, running back and linebacker are some of the biggest areas to improve this offseason. With the NFL Draft a few months away, it’s time to look at prospects Kansas City could target. Here are three prospects to watch leading up to the selection process.

Day 1: Walter Nolen, defensive lineman, Ole Miss Rebels

Defensive tackle Chris Jones remains one of the best defensive players in the NFL but he is not getting any younger and the Chiefs must look into drafting his successor. Nolen is a prospect that has seen his name popped up across the first round from the first 10 selections to the last five of Day One. This is because while he presents an impressive physical and athletic profile, he still has room to grow and may not make as dominant of an impact as one would suggest.

Nolen is a penetration czar who wreaks havoc in the backfield with outstanding gap integrity and movement skills to slant and work across the face of blockers. He has room to grow as a pass rusher and at acquiring proper leverage but if he were to be on the board late in the first round, general manager Brett Veach could be enticed to pull the trigger.

Day 2: Carson Schwesinger, linebacker, UCLA Bruins

There may not be a blue-chip linebacker prospect in this year’s draft but adding to the position could ease the potential loss of Nick Bolton in free agency. One of the most underrated prospects in this year’s draft is Schwesinger, who has flown under the radar for the most part in the early portion of the pre-draft process and could be on his way to a firm Day Two selection.

Despite having an average frame, Schwesinger is a rangy, physical, and explosive second-level defender who seems to have a knack for the football. He tallied 136 total tackles while being named a first-team All-American. The former unranked recruit offers the football intelligence and discipline to be an early starter at the MIKE linebacker position, making an already young Chiefs defense even younger at the quarterback position of the unit.

Day 3: Jake Briningstool, tight end, Clemson Tigers

At some point, the Chiefs must begin to think long and hard about finding potential successors for some of their aging core players, including Travis Kelce. While the future Hall of Fame tight end is on the precipice of history, finding the guy who could be his replacement should be a priority for Veach. No one can truly replace the value Kelce has had on the organization and Mahomes as his security blanket but one potential Day 3 tight end that could develop into the future at TE is Briningstool.

The former four-star recruit is a mismatch as an F-move tight end who can challenge slot defenders and linebackers in coverage with the football IQ to find soft spots in zone coverage and sit in voids for his QB. Briningstool is an outstanding pass catcher who, while needing more growth as a blocker in the run game, could join forces with Noah Gray as a nice TE tandem and allow Reid to utilize an effective 12 personnel package.

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