Did the Chiefs find the ultimate diamond in the rough with Kahlil Benson?
Grade: B
The offensive tackle position has eluded the Kansas City Chiefs for nearly the entire Patrick Mahomes era. Since Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz started piling up injuries in 2019, it has been a revolving door at one tackle spot or another.
Kansas City thought they solved that when they drafted Josh Simmons in the first round in 2025, but he has played in just eight games through his first year and a half in the league.
With no real plan going into the season, undrafted rookie free agent Kahlil Benson has been playing left tackle in Kansas City. Benson had a lot of stops and starts as a college player at Indiana from 2020 to 2025. Injuries throughout his career and a one-year hiatus at Colorado eventually kept him from being drafted, but there's a lot to like.
Despite spending the majority of his time in college on the right side at guard and tackle, Benson has looked natural at left tackle. He has a big, long, and powerful frame and looks balanced and coordinated in his movements.
He's not the strongest or the fastest, but he has enough of both, plus repeatable technique and effort to get the job done.
Everything Benson does is quick, powerful, and with intention. At the snap of the ball, he fires off the line and delivers a punch to the defender that wins him the early part of the rep. That way, if the defender has the pure speed or strength advantage, Benson has just evened the odds - if not outright won the rep.
In pass protection, he uses his length and coordination to keep speedy edge rushers moving up the arc and away from the quarterback. His strong hands and anchor allow him to stop power rushers in their tracks.
In the run game, he generates a strong push right away, but hand placement and continuous leg drive allow him to continue to clear space for the runner. This especially shows up on down blocks, where he can really push a pile clear across multiple gaps.
Final verdict: Injuries and a ceiling on natural ability kept Benson from being drafted in 2026. But in Kansas City, he's showing he has plenty to work with, from a physical and mental standpoint, to be a starter in the league. For a team that has struggled to find consistency at tackle, Benson could end up being one of the biggest surprises of its rookie class.
Add us as a preferred source on Google