The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to do something that hasn’t happened in the NFL since the 1960s Green Bay Packers: win three championships in a row.
Led by Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have been regarded as the best team in the league over the last six years. Protecting Mahomes will be a top priority for as long as he is under center, and they could be getting a massive human being to do that.
The Kansas City Chiefs May Be Getting A Massive Blocker For Patrick Mahomes
The 33rd Team released a mock draft for 2025, and they had the Chiefs taking Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota:
32) Kansas City Chiefs
Selection: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Taking Kingsley Suamataia in the 2024 draft might fix Kansas City’s left tackle problem, but Jawaan Taylor’s job might not be safe beyond this season if his performance doesn’t improve.
Aireontae Ersery, at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, fits the trend of gigantic blockers. He’s more than capable of becoming a reliable right tackle for Patrick Mahomes. Despite his towering frame, he’s one of the most athletic blockers in the class.
Below is Ersery’s draft profile from the Draft Network:
Ersery is a skilled and effective run blocker, especially on zone calls. His power step provides good momentum and force upon contact with the defender. He works lateral/horizontal blocks well, showcasing the strength to Wash defenders down the line of scrimmage—he has a nasty, finishing mentality.
He will put a DL into the ground if given the chance. He blocks with aggressiveness and urgency. Ersery uses the gallop technique on duo/double team blocks before climbing to the second level. He is a good tandem blocker to move DL out of the way to clear the path for the ball-carrier.
On man/down blocks, he has an effective stalemate approach but he doesn’t run his feet after contact, like on zone concepts. This will increase his efficiency and potential impact in both gap and zone schemes. He opens himself to being displaced and countered. In pass protection, Ersery’s punch timing, placement, and hand carriage puts him in compromising positions.
He tends to punch too early from a low, wide-hand carriage. Punching too early makes him vulnerable to counters with a more difficult chance of recovering. Ersery’s hands can be sloppy with placement, he needs to strike the defender’s chest plate and settle his hands to latch quicker. He tends to bend at the waist and overextend himself during pass sets—creating an opportunity for defenders to push/pull with power and displace him.
Shorter speed-to-power rushes have given Ersery issues due to owning the natural leverage advantage over him. He must find a counter for handling those style rushers better in 2024.
Ersery projects as a high-ceiling starting LT. His combination of power, agility, athleticism, and length makes are great to have in a potential franchise LT. He is a great fit for a zone offense that allows him to generate lateral push to open lanes for the ball carrier. Ersery is talented with plenty of room to improve before the NFL.
The Chiefs have been rumored to be interested in a left tackle all off-season. Former Packers all-pro David Bakhtiari has been an on-going rumor for months. It will be interesting to see what the Chiefs do long-term at arguably the second most important position in football.
