KC Chiefs rookie OL Hunter Nourzad has big shoes to fill after Brett Veach explains vision for the rookie

By selecting wide receiver Xavier Worthy to address their issues in that area, the Kansas City Chiefs demonstrated a strategic shift towards semi-rebuilding their offensive line. They made a significant move by drafting three offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of these rookies could potentially start, while the other two are likely to provide crucial depth.

The Chiefs made a promising choice with their second pick, selecting offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia at No. 63 overall. This decision seemed like a perfect fit from the beginning, and Suamataia has a strong chance of starting in 2024. If he performs well in training camp, the other players will likely serve as backup.

One of the Chiefs' recent draft picks who has been generating buzz is offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad from Penn State, drafted at No. 159 overall. His selection was notable due to the value the Chiefs obtained. With some key offensive line players leaving this offseason, including Nick Allegretti, general manager Brett Veach has drawn a comparison between the two, suggesting Nourzad could potentially fill Allegretti's role.

"Well, really, when you lose a guy like (Commanders G) Nick Allegretti, I mean, those guys are hard to replace, and we like some of the things Mike Caliendo did last year," Veach said. "These are long seasons, and week in and week out, there is a physical toll these guys have to undertake. It's one of those things where it's always comforting to know you have a guy like Nick Allegretti who, if needed or pressed into service like he was last year in the playoffs, can come in, can play center, can play guard and can get you out of a game there.

"When you look at Hunter (Nourzad), he's an extremely smart kid. He's one of those guys that we feel has a tremendous amount of upside. But we also almost see him in that Nick Allegretti role where we think he can come and certainly will compete like the rest of the guys do. I think we have a high amount of confidence in him. He can come in and play quality reps and provide quality starts if needed."