NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs 3-round 2025 projection after Super Bowl LIX embarrassment

The Kansas City Chiefs were chasing history. Instead of a Super Bowl three-peat, however, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are on the wrong end of their second blowout loss in the Big Game. The first was at the hand of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Sunday night's in New Orleans came courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Obviously, the Chiefs are still going to be great moving forward. However, this is a brutal end to a three-peat chase for Kansas City, especially in an offseason when they could potentially lose Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and several other key pieces. The Chiefs will have to go back to the drawing board and that will largely start with the 2025 NFL Draft.

Though free agency will happen beforehand, the simple truth of the matter is that Kansas City doesn't have a ton of wiggle room with the salary cap and will need to hit big in the draft. Where should they turn? Let's dive in with a three-round mock draft projections for the Chiefs in the 2025 offseason.

For more Super Bowl 59 updates, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs news and more, check out FanSided's Super Bowl LIX Hub, your ultimate guide to the Big Game.

Round 1, Pick 31: OT Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon)

If the Super Bowl showed us anything with absolute clarity, it's that the Chiefs offensive line isn't settle. With Trey Smith set to potentially leave in free agency, that could be even more so the case. Joe Thuney needs to slot back inside to guard and that could leave Kansas City drafting another tackle. Lucky for them, Josh Conerly Jr. should be there for the taking with the 31st pick.

Conerly had an extremely strong 2024 season at Oregon, allowing only one sack and just six hurries across 521 pass block snaps. More than that, though, it wasn't hard to see him continue to progress as the year went on and come into his own with footwork, hand placement and even getting more fluid on the edge. For a player still 21 years old, the best is still to come but he's getting there quickly.

Kansas City desperately needs to find a long-term answer at tackle and Conerly is potentially their best chance to do exactly that.

Round 2, Pick 63: DL Darius Alexander (Toledo)

Chris Jones remains a dominant presence on the interior of the defensive line but, not only are there some minor (quite minor) signs of possibly slowing down a bit but the Chiefs certainly need more depth and quality young pieces up front. Darius Alexander is someone who looks the part of being able to help in that capacity.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder out of Toledo firstly brings something the Chiefs need on that interior, an elite run defender. With the looming chance that Nick Bolton could leave in free agency this offseason, Kansas City simply has to find the right guys to step into the middle of the defense and replace what he does. What's impressive with Alexander, though, is that there's still room for him to affect the game as a pass rusher with 11 sacks over the past two seasons at Toledo.

There might be other needs worth noting but the Chiefs can't pass up the value of a player like Alexander if he's there for them at the end of the second round.

Round 3, Pick 66 (via TEN): LB Jeffery Bassa (Oregon)

Speaking of the prospect of losing Bolton in free agency, that could leave the Chiefs needing linebacker help with not much flexibility available to them in free agency. With the pick that comes to the club by way of the L'Jarius Sneed trade, the Chiefs do just that early in Round 3 with another Oregon prospect, this time Jeffery Bassa.

Over the past three seasons, we've seen Bassa start to really round out his game. He's cut down on a concerning missed tackle rate from early in his college career and has shown an ability to really clog lanes and be a sure defender in the middle there. Furthermore, while no one would mistake him for an elite coverage player, he's also developed his footwork and movement to get better in that department as well.

He's certainly a different player than Bolton but, as the Chiefs are forced to reshape the defense a bit this offseason, Bassa is an obvious fit to help this team do that and build out the depth for Steve Spagnuolo.

Round 3, Pick 95: CB Cobee Bryant (Kansas)

Beyond the offensive line woes, you could argue that the Super Bowl defeat also highlighted how badly the Chiefs miss Sneed in the secondary and don't have reliable depth behind Trent McDuffie at cornerback. One could pretty easily make the argument that would make corner an earlier need and it very well could be. That being said, a player like Cobee Bryant at the back end of the Top 100 would also make a load of sense.

Bryant has been phenomenal over the past three seasons as he's showed sustained improvement. He was one of the best run defending corners in college football last year despite a 175-pound frame but has also greatly improved in coverage, including allowing just a 62.7 passer rating when targeted last year and having eight combined interceptions over the past two seasons at Kansas.

His slight frame is going to come under scrutiny and he could definitely stand to put on a bit more bulk. But all in all, Bryant has the tools and the frame to do that and be a valuable piece for the Chiefs defensive backfield moving forward.