Three Kansas City Chiefs' Cornerstones 25-And-Under

The Kansas City Chiefs have been the powerhouse of the NFL for the last few years due to their mixture of youth, veterans, and terrific role players on either side of the ball, not to mention the terrific coaching from head coach Andy Reid and his staff.

However, it's time to begin identifying who the cornerstones of the franchise will be outside of Patrick Mahomes. Chris Jones is getting older and Travis Kelce's future is uncertain. Making sure the Chiefs have their futures of the team on the roster is critical to their long-term success and sustainability.

The last few years have presented the Chiefs would an excellent group of quality players to choose from. Let's take a closer look at the key cornerstone players under 25 years of age.

George Karlaftis, Edge Rusher

This is an easy answer: Karlaftis has been a consistent presence since being selected in the first round three years ago. His is 24.5 sacks are the second most of any pass rusher from the 2022 NFL Draft and is on the cusp of being a high-end defender for the Chiefs.

What Karlaftis offers is not the ungodly athleticism and explosiveness that someone like Myles Garrett possesses but it's the finesse and the plan of attack he has for every rush. He knows how to get the quarterback due to having excellent pass-rush variety and discipline.

The former Pudue standout has his best football ahead of him and will remain a key cornerstone for the Chiefs defense for the foreseeable future.

Trent McDuffie, Cornerback

There will be fans that question this selection but McDuffie has been nothing but good for the Chiefs since his first-round selection in 2022. While his ball production is underwhelming, his skill set is not, offering quality discipline in zone coverage shells and remains physical in man coverage opportunities.

McDuffie has been a key player in the Chiefs defensive performances in the last two years, including the end-of-season stretch in his rookie season. The former Washington standout is a true cornerstone of this defense and should remain as such.

Creed Humphrey, Center

It's hard to name a better center in the game than Humphrey. He's been doing this since he was drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 2021 selection process and does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

Humphrey has dominated the middle of the trenches since his days with the Oklahoma Sooners. Without him the Chiefs offense falters, signaling his value and leadership of that side of the ball. The 2024 First Team All-Pro should be in Kansas City for another decade and is one pace to be one of the all-time greats at his position.

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