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With Week 1 on the horizon, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo has dual updates on his rookie defensive linemen.
Contending NFL teams oftentimes extend their windows by successfully drafting every year. The Kansas City Chiefs are no different, as general manager Brett Veach hopes his 2025 class pans out.
The defensive side of the ball, in particular, carries some weight. A pair of Day 2 NFL Draft pickups, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott and defensive end Ashton Gillotte, will be tasked with injecting talent up front. Star interior man Chris Jones leads the way, but there’s no denying that additional production is needed both now and later.
With Week 1 arriving, how do both prospects look? Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had a mixed update.
Steve Spagnuolo Praises DE Ashton Gillotte Ahead of NFL Debut
Speaking to the media on Monday, Spagnuolo started things off with Gillotte. He believes the third-round pick out of Louisville is making great progress.
“I thought he played really good,” Spagnuolo said. “He had some explosive plays, a tackle for a loss where he busted right through. It was slow-go at the beginning with both those guys from the standpoint of learning the system. But Ashton just gets better and better. He impresses guys in one-on-ones and the things that he’s doing, he’s real strong from the waist down.”
Spagnuolo’s assessment seems valid. Gillotte, a multi-year starter for the Cardinals, constructed healthy draft stock thanks to his junior and senior campaigns. His 11-sack 2023 season stood out, especially when paired with 15 tackles for loss. Boasting tremendous pre-draft testing numbers for athleticism, Gillotte is an enticing player.
He then backed up the hype this preseason. Across three games, Gillotte logged three quarterback hurries and four tackles. His motor consistently ran hot, helping him a ton in run defense. The first-year man has a dense frame and a diverse pass-rushing bag that could soon come in handy.
After an injury to former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Chiefs may need Gillotte a bit more than expected in 2025-26. The early returns, both by the eye test and Spagnuolo’s words, are solid.
Chiefs Exercising Patience With DT Omarr Norman-Lott
The same can’t exactly apply to Norman-Lott. Spagnuolo acknowledged a slow-burn for the Tennessee product.
“Omarr is just kind of taking a little while to get going, you know?” Spagnuolo said. “He makes strides and then he gets an injury here, and that’s been a tough thing for him to get through. So, we’ll see where we’re at by [the] time we get to game time. But as we get going here in the course of the season, we’re going to rely on both of those guys.”
It was always going to be something like this as far as Norman-Lott’s path is concerned. He was quite efficient at Tennessee but because of how the Volunteers rotated their line, he never got a full workload. That, combined with offseason weight gain that was intentional, left many wondering what he brought to the table.
A 61.9 Pro Football Focus pass rush grade in the preseason kept that theme going. When the Chiefs drafted Norman-Lott in the second round, most projected him as a Jones type. It was largely deemed a luxury or forward-thinking pick given his pass rush profile. Now, however, he’s leaning a bit closer to a one-technique’s body type. The ankle injury, a nagging one, further complicates things.
Kansas City doesn’t necessarily need Gillotte or Norman-Lott to thrive right out of the gate. They can win games with either or both players struggling. Such is the luxury of having a great roster.
Spagnuolo’s early reviews are telling, though.
Jordan Foote is a seasoned sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com with an emphasis on the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. He has years of experience publishing NFL and MLB content for Sports Illustrated’s On SI vertical, in addition to a background in NBA coverage for multiple outlets. Foote is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media. He’s based in Kansas City. More about Jordan Foote
