With first-round pick Josh Simmons still sidelined, the Kansas City Chiefs face questions about their long-term plans at left tackle, a key position responsible for protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side.
A 2027 mock draft projects the Chiefs to address the position by selecting Utah offensive tackle Zereoue Williams with the 24th overall pick. The projection would give Kansas City its second left tackle drafted in three years. In the same mock, the Los Angeles Chargers take Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith first overall.
Williams has emerged as a standout for undefeated Utah. He earned an 83.6 pass-blocking grade and had not allowed a sack before the Utes’ most recent win over BYU.
The 6-foot-8, 305-pound Phoenix native is relatively new to football. He did not play between seventh grade and his senior year at Mountain Pointe High School, focusing instead on basketball. He earned second-team all-state honors in the sport.
Utah recruited Williams as a three-star prospect in November 2020, when he weighed 250 pounds. He has since added 55 pounds. His path to a starting role was gradual: through 2025, he had started just once in 38 career games, with that start coming at left tackle in a bowl game.
Williams moved into Utah’s starting lineup this season after Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu were selected in the first round in April. He was also granted a waiver for a sixth season of eligibility. Evaluators believe he could play either left or right tackle, though he still needs to improve his hand placement and maintain a lower stance as a run blocker.
## Josh Simmons’ Injury Timeline
Kansas City selected Simmons with the 32nd pick in the 2025 draft, several months after he tore the patellar tendon in his left leg while at Ohio State. The Chiefs have played 22 games since drafting him; Simmons has appeared in eight.
As a rookie, Simmons posted a 6.6% pressure rate, which ranked among the lowest for left tackles at the time. On Thanksgiving Day against the Dallas Cowboys, he dislocated and fractured his left wrist. He underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
In 2026, Simmons developed a bulging disk in his lower back. Head coach Andy Reid disclosed the injury on Sept. 30, and Simmons has yet to play this season. Kansas City placed him on injured reserve on Oct. 22 after his rehabilitation stalled.
“He’s just not there yet,” head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said. Simmons’ earliest possible return date is Nov. 22, when the Chiefs are scheduled to host the Arizona Cardinals.
The day before Simmons was placed on injured reserve, Reid and Mahomes reportedly asked him to leave an offensive meeting. Simmons had his feet propped up and said his back and hips hurt, after which he was directed to the training staff. He apologized later that day. Reid said the meeting incident was not the reason for the injured-reserve move.
## How Williams Could Fit Kansas City’s Draft Plans
The mock draft’s Williams projection emphasizes his length and athleticism, but does not mention Simmons. It is a prediction, not an indication of the Chiefs’ plans.
Kansas City’s current situation at tackle helps explain why the position could be a draft priority. Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson started at left tackle in Week 1, becoming the first undrafted offensive rookie to start a season opener during Reid’s 14 seasons with the Chiefs. Williams would also enter the NFL with limited starting experience.
Other early projections point to different possibilities. ESPN’s Jordan Reid projected Iowa tackle Trevor Lauck to Kansas City at No. 26 in an August mock draft, describing him as a potential right tackle in the NFL. A database tracking 2027 mock drafts lists wide receiver as the most common projection for the Chiefs late in the first round, followed by tight end and offensive tackle.
Williams has the remainder of Utah’s unbeaten season to strengthen his draft case. For Simmons, the next opportunity to return is Nov. 22.
