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Rookie projections can be extremely challenging. That is especially true, when considering incoming defensive players. What role may a first-year player be fighting for? Does the depth in front of him offer many other options for the coaching staff to lean on?

Overall, the Chiefs have a number of rookies that could be counted on to varying degrees in 2025. Some of these draft picks are easy to envision stepping into the fold out of the gate. But for others, there may be a clearer pathway to immediate snaps, compared to what some fans may realize. Pass rusher Ashton Gillotte is one that falls under that latter category.

The Louisville product joins a Kansas City defensive end room that includes seasoned names like George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, and Mike Danna. Other depth pieces like Felix Anudike-Uzomah, as well as Malik Herring and Janarius Robinson are hoping to earn additional snaps also.

That is a group that may not wow people on paper. However, the magic that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can cook up is well documented, regardless of the assets the team may have utilized on a player.

Can Ashton Gillotte receive more immediate snaps than expected during his rookie season? Plus, is the depth strong enough for Kansas City to be one of the better pass rush units in 2025?

Where Ashton Gillotte wins

Ashton Gillotte may not be the most flashy pass rusher. Though, he does a lot of the little details well, being able to complete the dirty work for a defense. That is something that has been a staple for certain defensive linemen under Spagnuolo. Overall, Gillotte offers the physicality and power at the point of attack that most pass rushers have possessed in the Spags system.

The Chiefs have gravitated towards pass rushers that can outmuscle blockers by working through them. Rather than bending the edge and slicing around the offensive lineman, K.C. would prefer to reduce pass rush angles in an acute, straight line.

Gillotte can earn more reps as a rookie in part because of his hard-nosed style against both the run and the pass. He is similar to Karlaftis in being able to rely on a relentless motor and effort as opposing blockers start to wear down. If anything, Gillotte only appeared to get stronger as the game got deeper during his college career.

Items to monitor among veteran Chiefs defensive ends

The depth chart could be tested heavily throughout the 2025 season. Time will tell if the Chiefs strengthened the pass rush unit enough after a bit of a quieter offseason retaining their own guys. Ashton Gillotte could benefit from added pressure and question marks surrounding the names in front of him at the position.

For starters, Danna had arguably his lowest impact season since his rookie year in 2024. He re-signed in the 2024 offseason on a three-year deal. But in the first campaign of that contract, Danna had the lowest sack output since his second season in 2021. It is not like he was producing monster numbers in 2022 and 2023. However, we saw steady growth from him in those two seasons. The tertiary production he added in 2023 was largely absent in 2024. In the end, Danna was not pushing the pocket as much. He also failed to force quarterbacks off their spot as often, either.

Omenihu has been able to find a deeper pass rush plan and pass rush repertoire since coming to Kansas City. The biggest thing will be if he can sustain an impact for an entire season. We have yet to see Omenihu get to complete a full year under his belt with the Chiefs.

Finally, Anudike-Uzomah is in a precarious position at this point in his career. His development and dependability entering his third season are inadequate. It has just been so incomplete from what we have seen Anudike-Uzomah accomplish the first two years. Gillotte can easily make a position battle for a rotational spot that much more demanding for someone like FAU, given their respective play styles.

Defensive line reps will be filled by others automatically

Whether it is Ashton Gillotte seeing the field a fair amount or not as a rookie, defensive line reps will have to be replenished automatically. Due to Tershawn Wharton departing in free agency this offseason, the Chiefs will likely replace his usage with multiple names throughout the season. Wharton registered 780 defensive snaps last year. That subtraction from the Kansas City defensive line will help open up immediate opportunities for Gillotte alone.

Meanwhile, the defensive line will likely still have to contend with opponents wanting to physically impose their will via the ground game. The Chiefs have plenty of length in their pass rush room. Yet, Gillotte could be the exact archetype to what K.C. is looking to rely on in all situations. All in all, this rookie may earn more snaps than some anticipate, simply due to his firm edge setting as a run defender.