The Kansas City Chiefs spent their first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons in the hopes of shoring up the left side of their offensive line.
Jason Kelce acknowledged he is a big fan of the pick during a discussion with his brother, Travis, and Chiefs guard Trey Smith in a recent episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast.
The elder Kelce brother referred to Simmons’ tape from his lone season at Ohio State as ‘absurd’ and had a lofty comparison for the 22-year-old rookie.
‘I’ve watched a lot of these linemen coming out the last few years,’ Kelce said. ‘This kid, I mean, he is the closest thing I’ve seen to like a Trent Williams – like that next level strength and athleticism. The only reason he fell to you guys is because of that (patellar tendon) injury.’
Williams has long been one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles. The 37-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and has made 11 Pro Bowls and earned three All-Pro first team nods during his 14-year career. Williams graded as Pro Football Focus’ 7th-best tackle among 81 qualified players at the position in 2024, ending a run of four consecutive seasons as a top-two tackle.
With that comparison in mind, Kelce is excited to see if Simmons can win Kansas City’s left tackle job, which the former Philadelphia Eagles center classified as ‘a revolving door’ in 2024. The rookie’s main competition for the job will be Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30 million deal with the Chiefs in free agency.
The younger Kelce and Smith are also excited about Simmons’ potential. Smith – who made his first Pro Bowl in 2024 in his fourth year as a starting guard for the Chiefs – hasn’t seen Simmons in action yet but has heard the 6-5, 310-pounder is ‘unbelievably strong.’
Kelce came away with a similar takeaway after going head-to-head with Simmons when the rookie took some scout-team reps at defensive end.
‘I felt that man’s hands grab me, and I was like, ‘All right, I gotta come with it,” Kelce said, laughing. ‘Even when he’s just giving the looks, I gotta make sure I got my feet planted.’