The Kansas City Chiefs have selected an offensive tackle in each of the past two drafts, bringing in third rounder Wanya Morris and second rounder Kingsley Suamataia. And yet, Patrick Mahomes still suffered from a major LT issue up until recently, when the coaching staff shifted veteran Joe Thuney over from left guard.
Perhaps, the Chiefs should just continue on with Thuney as the starting left tackle, but Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller predicted that KC would again attempt to solve this problem in the draft. Except this time, they’ll spend a first-round pick on their next offensive tackle.
“We can’t keep letting the Kansas City Chiefs get away with this,” Miller joked after mocking Missouri prospect Armand Membou to KC at No. 32 overall.
“There isn’t a single offensive lineman in the country with a better résumé than Armand Membou,” the Pro Football Network analyst explained. “He allowed only nine pressures without a single sack this season and did so playing against Boston College (Donovan Ezeiruaku,) Texas A&M (Stewart and Scourton), Alabama (LT Overton and Co.), South Carolina (Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart), and Arkansas (Jackson).
“Oh, and he was Missouri’s representative on Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freak List’ for 2024 over [Luther] Burden. The lack of hype surrounding Membou and the narrative that the NFL might see him as a guard are frankly frightening. If anything, a move to the interior would only magnify the few flaws in his game on tape.”
Miller concluded that “the Chiefs will start [Membou] at right tackle on Day 1 and he’ll thrive,” which would presumably shift current RT Jawaan Taylor over to LT.
The Missouri product was described as a “sure-fire starter” by The Draft Network, and an “NFL starter” at either tackle or guard via 33rd Team.
Armand Membou Scouted as Fluid Pass Protector & ‘Nasty’ Run Blocker
At the top of their scouting report, The Draft Network noted that “Armand Membou possesses all the traits necessary to catch the eye of NFL decision-makers.”
Bleacher Report draft analyst Brandon Thorn seemed to agree, breaking down the skillsets that makes Membou so enticing as a prospect.
“Membou operated inside of a zone-based run scheme at Mizzou, where he excelled using very good quickness and his big body to cover up the frontside end, work his hips around to seal and kick out when necessary,” Thorn scouted. “He has the body control, jarring power and nasty demeanor to sustain, displace and dump defenders in the second and third phase of a block.”
As a pass protector, Thorn added that “Membou glides out of his stance with the fluidity to expand his set points and maintain his balance up the arc to widen the corner with control against widely-aligned, high-side rushes with the redirect ability to cut-off inside counters. He shows good length and flashes of proper strike timing to establish first meaningful contact with his punch and anchor on command but will also get caught off-guard against speed to power, usually due to tardy hands.”
Membou is a little bit undersized at 6-foot-3, hence the talk about him playing guard. But his foundational power and athleticism seem to cover up any deficiencies that his height might cause.
At worst, he’d give the Chiefs a versatile new guard option with immediate “Pro Bowl” potential, per 33rd Team. That could be helpful too if Trey Smith were to walk in free agency, or if Thuney shifted over to left tackle full-time.
Offensive Line Could Be Chiefs’ Greatest Need in 2025
With Xavier Worthy developing and Rashee Rice set to return, wide receiver shouldn’t be as much of a need in 2025. Running back and tight end should be fine too, assuming Travis Kelce doesn’t retire, and KC obviously has their quarterback.
There are some holes to either fill or bolster on the defensive side — depending on which free agents the Chiefs retain. But one could easily argue that offensive line is Kansas City’s greatest need heading into 2025.
The Chiefs have three starters under contract, so long as they want them back. Those players are Thuney, Taylor and center Creed Humphrey.
After that, there’s still a question mark at left tackle and it could be difficult to retain Smith in free agency.
It might be KC’s hope that current developmental prospects fill these roles next year. Suamataia, Morris and UDFA Ethan Driskell will still be options at offensive tackle, and interior OLs Mike Caliendo, Hunter Nourzad and C.J. Hanson could theoretically compete for right guard.
Having said that, adding another “sure-fire” prospect to the mix is never a bad idea. And Chiefs general manager Brett Veach typically overstocks on offensive lineman. That all makes Membou a smart fit for Kansas City.
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