![\"Former](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Tershawn-Wharton2-e1742261887188.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
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The Kansas City Chiefs lost two veteran members of the interior defensive line in NFL free agency, with Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi leaving for new teams.<\/p>\n
The former joined the Carolina Panthers on a massive $45 million payday, while the latter signed with the New York Jets for an undisclosed amount.<\/p>\n
Following these departures, The 33rd Team\u2019s lead NFL draft analyst Kyle Crabbs predicted that KC would secure a replacement for Wharton and Nnadi during the first round of this year\u2019s rookie selection show \u2014 highlighting Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams at pick No. 31.<\/p>\n
\u201cKansas City lost Tershawn Wharton in free agency and is still thin here despite the addition of Jerry Tillery,\u201d Crabbs reasoned. \u201cGiven the improving offensive lines across the AFC West, the Chiefs would be wise not to skimp at defensive tackle. Williams is an excellent run defender who could prosper next to Chris Jones.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Tyleik Williams Profiles as More of a Derrick Nnadi Replacement for Chiefs<\/strong><\/p>\n Crabbs talked about Wharton leaving, but it\u2019s really Nnadi that Williams would replace.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliams projects best into an even front scheme as an A-gap defender,\u201d Crabbs wrote in his scouting report with The 33rd Team. \u201cHe has the penetration quickness to threaten the A-gap and the mass to hold anchor against the point of attack. His successes in deconstructing blocks will make him a valued run defender.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Those traits relate much more to Nnadi than Wharton \u2014 who was more of an impact pass rusher. Although the Ohio State product does have some potential in that area too.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliams has some upside as a pass rusher thanks to pleasant quickness for his stature,\u201d Crabbs continued, \u201cbut he\u2019s likely a rotational player early on run downs with a chance to further develop a pass rush prowess to command snaps down the line.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n This scouting assessment was more or less confirmed by The Draft Network\u2019s Damian Parson, who described Williams as \u201ca disruptive IDL prospect with great power at the point of attack.\u201d<\/p>\n Adding: \u201cHe\u2019s a great run defender and potential impact pocket pusher.\u201d<\/p>\n Bleacher Report\u2019s Matt Holder did raise one concern when talking about the former Buckeye though.<\/p>\n \u201cPotential is the best way to describe Tyleik Williams as an NFL draft prospect,\u201d Holder said. \u201cHis combination of size, strength and athleticism gives him a high ceiling, but inconsistency is his biggest issue. He\u2019ll have eye-popping reps on film and then get beat on similar reps later in the same game. With that being said, his traits are pretty impressive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Williams weighs in at 6-foot-3 and 334 pounds with 10\u00bc\u201d hands and 32\u2033 arms (wingspan of 78\u215d\u201d).<\/p>\n It\u2019s Not Flashy, but Chiefs Should Spend 2025 First Rounder on Defensive Tackle<\/strong><\/p>\n Crabbs is dead-on here with his suggestion, as interior defensive line is now the biggest need on this Kansas City roster by wide margin.<\/p>\n You could make the argument for the Chiefs to draft another edge rusher since Felix Anudike-Uzomah has failed to impress, but there aren\u2019t too many positions that stand out as clear needs at this stage of the offseason.<\/p>\n After the D-tackle departures, however, IDL would be the lone glaring hole.<\/p>\n KC could still re-sign veteran nose tackle Mike Pennel, but the soon-to-be 34-year-old is nearing the end of his NFL career. So that\u2019s a short-term fix at best.<\/p>\n Williams \u2014 along with Tillery for more of a pass rushing presence \u2014 would pair well together to shore up the interior depth behind Jones and Pennel, assuming he\u2019s re-signed at a later date.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Kansas City Chiefs lost two veteran members of the interior defensive line in NFL free agency, with Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi leaving for new teams…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44551,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n