Kansas City used a top-30 visit on Ohio State’s standout left tackle.

On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs — who could be prioritizing an offensive tackle in next week’s NFL Draft — hosted Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons on a Top-30 visit. He is considered one of the top offensive line prospects in the class.

Here’s what to know about Simmons.

Background

An interior offensive lineman out Helix High School in La Mesa, California, Simmons was a four-star recruit who had offers from more than two dozen college programs before beginning his career at San Diego State, where he redshirted as a freshman before starting 13 games at right tackle in 2022. Following his transfer to Ohio State in 2023, he started a total of 19 games at left tackle over two seasons before he suffered a serious knee injury in 2024’s sixth game.

Josh Simmons is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He does not qualify for a #RAS due to a lack of measurements.https://t.co/krfNqih0PU pic.twitter.com/TogDWi7xFC

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 10, 2025

Simmons arrived at the NFL Combine measuring 6 feet 5 and 317 pounds, with 33-inch arms and 10-inch hands. Still recovering from his torn patellar tendon, he did not participate in the Combine’s athletic testing — and only did a quick session of drill work during his pro day. At that time, he also recorded an impressive 34 repetitions on the bench press.

Because of his injury, his draft status remains murky. Nonetheless, he is widely expected to be chosen late in the draft’s first round — and might still be available when Kansas City goes on the clock for the 31st pick.

While Simmons is slightly undersized for a tackle — and arms are slightly shorter than Kansas City prefers — his film shows a player with the skills and athletic ability to play at the highest level.

Film evaluation

Simmons’ film shows a player with lightning-quick feet out of his stance and a strong base, which allow him to fend off most of the pass rushers he faces.

Tremendous quickness out of the stance by Simmons. He meets the edge at the bend point in the arc and takes away his move. He lunges a little bit, but the foot quickness and explosion out of the stance is there. pic.twitter.com/56j3q54NIi

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) April 12, 2025

Simmons is a high-level mover, which is made apparent by his first step. Driving to his inside and building power, his sets look effortless; he seems to glide as he meets edge rushers at the bend point.

Simmons also displays good (but not great) hands. While his initial strike can lack power —and needs some overall work — he is crafty.

Simmons feels the edge rusher start to lean, and he perfectly executes a snatch to pull him to the ground. pic.twitter.com/nxoxGmyfev

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) April 12, 2025

Simmons’ best trait as a pass protector might be his ability to recover from (and fight off) an edge rusher’s counter-moves. His flexible lower body — along with a strong anchor and core — allows him to reset himself and wash defenders out of plays.

When Simmons is able to land his inside hands first, he has a good feel for what a defender’s rush plan will be — and usually has a solution to stop it.

There are still plenty of snaps where Simmons doesn’t put it all together in pass protection — but on the snaps where he does, there are very few pass rushers who can beat him.

Simmons is also strong in the running game.

When Simmons plays with leverage, he can root out and move most defenders he faces. A little awkward to start, but he stays engaged and finishes his man to the ground. pic.twitter.com/ymgtPCFXoz

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) April 12, 2025

The same base and core strength that Simmons uses so effectively as a pass blocker helps him to create movement off the snap in the running game. He also plays nasty, fighting through the echo of the whistle on most of his snaps.

In the running game, Simmons does a good job of timing his hands and feet. This synchronization allows him to win most of his solo blocks, making him a good fit for teams that run lots of mid-zone and inside-zone plays. When working in combination with other players on down blocks, Simmons transfers power well, allowing him to help his interior teammates rake over defensive linemen.

An area where Simmons’ tape “pops” is his ability to move in space.

One of the more fluid movers in the class, Simmons will be a tremendous fit for teams that utilize screens, outside runs and blocking looks that put tackles in space along the perimeter.

Right out of his stance, he moves smoothly — with very little wasted motion — and is able to take on much faster defensive backs deep in the backfield. This movement ability is what makes him such an interesting prospect — especially for the Chiefs.

The bottom line

Now only 22 years old, Simmons was a fine college player. Still, his overall fundamentals and technique will require plenty of work before he can become a successful NFL tackle.

But his knee injury has left questions about his recovery — and whether he’ll be able to maintain the athleticism he showed at Ohio State. This is precisely why the Chiefs brought him in for a visit: to give their medical staff a chance to see how far along he is with his rehabilitation — and if there will be any long-term issues from the injury. The answers to these questions will be important in determining where he is finally taken in the draft.

Players with injury issues can turn the draft into a game of chance. An incorrect evaluation can leave a team in the lurch after investing a pick in an unproductive player. But the right assessment can lead to a draft-day steal.