“You dream of your first NFL start when you’re a little kid, playing football in the backyard,” Patrick Mahomes once mused, channeling every sandlot QB’s fantasy. But not every fantasy comes true. Just think back to that three-peat dream that was alive and kicking entering February before it came crashing down at the hands of an elite Eagles‘ defensive unit. Andy Reid isn’t one to make much noise, but make no mistake, he took plenty of notes. In 2025, the Chiefs‘ backyard is looking more like a Game of Thrones battlefield—and they’re drafting a 310-pound knight to guard the throne.
Enter Ohio State’s 6’5” offensive tackle with a rehabbed knee and a chip on his shoulder the size of Arrowhead Stadium, Josh Simmons. In Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft with Mina Kimes, the Chiefs snag Simmons at No. 27—a move Kimes calls “an infuriating steal” for a team already hoarding Lombardi Trophies like dragon gold. Brugler didn’t hold back either: “To me, Josh Simmons is the pick. As long as the medicals are clean… he was trending towards being in that OT1 conversation before that knee injury back in October.”
Simmons, who allowed just one sack in 2023 before a patella injury sidelined him, is the human equivalent of a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign for Mahomes. “If he hits the way his talent says he could, it’ll look like a steal,” Brugler added. Translation: the Chiefs may have just found their Unsullied protector.
Dane Brugler has the #Chiefs selecting OT Josh Simmons in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft in his latest mock with Mina Kimes. pic.twitter.com/A9bjcW0Kt2
— Chiefs Blitz (@ChiefsBlitz) April 7, 2025
But let’s rewind. Last season, KC’s O-line was about as stable as a Jenga tower in a hurricane. They cycled through three left tackles, let Joe Thuney walk, and watched Mahomes scramble like he was dodging White Walkers. Result? A middling 22.6 PPG (15th) and a Super Bowl loss where Philly’s defense treated Mahomes like a piñata. Simmons, who once growled, “Going into somebody else’s home and taking their food is the best feeling,” isn’t just here to block. He’s here to feast.
Brugler, though, did note the red flags. “It’s not a completely clean prospect. You’ve got the medicals. You know, he missed half of this past season. Some teams said his interviews didn’t go great,” he admitted. Still, he concluded, “If everything goes right… it would be a pen throw. Like, how do the Chiefs keep doing this?”
From Buckeye to BBQ: Simmons’ redemption arc meets Mahomes’ kingdom
Simmons’s journey reads like a Midwest folktale. At San Diego State, he was a 3-star recruit with “trust in Coach Frye” turning him into a “monster.” At Ohio State, he anchored a line that bullied Penn State and Notre Dame—until that knee injury in Week 6. Now, after rehabbing “ahead of schedule,” he’s KC’s latest reclamation project. Think Travis Kelce’s swagger meets Andy Reid’s playbook wizardry.
Meanwhile, Mahomes—who’s shattered records faster than The Office’s Michael Scott burns through Dundie Awards—isn’t sweating. “I’ve played with all those guys before,” he shrugged last year, when his O-line played musical chairs. But let’s be real: Even Superman needs the Justice League. Enter Simmons, whose 82.0 PFF pass-block grade in ’23 is higher than Mahomes’ approval rating at BBQ joints. Pair him with rookie speedster Xavier Worthy? Suddenly, the Chiefs’ offense isn’t just scary—it’s medieval.
Chiefs culture? It’s a tapestry of tailgates, tomahawk chops, and Taylor Swift sightings. Simmons, who inked NIL deals for hoodies and fan shoutouts, fits right in. Imagine him pancaking defenders to the soundtrack of “Karma” blasting through Arrowhead. Poetry? Try gridiron ballet.
So, will Simmons be Mahomes’ missing piece? Or just another draft-day “that’s what she said” joke? Either way, in a kingdom built on comebacks, this monster’s ready to roar. As Mahomes would say: “I want to be great.” And greatness, like BBQ, needs the right ingredients.
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