NFL analyst suggests Oregon’s 21-year-old star to fix Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs’ O-Line woes

Throughout the 2024 season, Patrick Mahomes was under duress like fans have never seen before. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback took a career-high 36 sacks in the regular season, and in the Super Bowl, was dropped six times behind the line of scrimmage as Kansas City's quest for a historic third consecutive title came to an end.

Getting an offensive tackle is likely among the top priorities of the Chiefs this offseason, and a promising 21-year-old from the University of Oregon could fall to them at No. 31. Josh Conerly Jr. is highly touted, and per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, could be the answer to their woes.

The left tackle position was an area Kansas City was not able to fix last year, with Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris failing to work out. It got so dire that they had to move Joe Thuney into that unfamiliar spot at the tail end of the season.

Facing so much heat throughout the season affected Mahomes’ numbers as he threw for fewer than 4,000 yards in the regular season (3,928) for the first time since 2017 when he only played one game.

Despite the Super Bowl disappointment, Kansas City is still in win-now mode and could address its biggest issue ahead of the 2025 campaign.

What does Josh Conerly Jr. bring to the table?

In his second season with the Oregon Ducks, Conerly was already a starter, proving he is strong in the blocking game. Throughout his collegiate career, he showed that he was an elite pass protector with exceptional consistency. His technique and athleticism were suited to sustain blocks.

He also has excellent range and body control to reach the second level with precise angles to engage smaller defenders in space. His footwork is clean and efficient, and he’s demonstrated an advanced understanding of leverage points, according to NFL Draft Buzz.

His hand placement has been known to be inconsistent at times, while his mass and anchor strength are still a work in progress.

The Chiefs have a void that needs to be filled and Conerly fits their needs. A former Anthony Munoz award winner for best lineman in high school, Conerly is coming off a huge 2024 season where he was named a first-team all-Big 10 and a first-team all-American, allowing just a single sack throughout the campaign.

Given that Kansas City is likely to make Trey Smith the highest-paid guard in the NFL, money will be tight after that, so drafting a player like Conerly Jr. is likely a viable option.