As great as the LA Chargers’ draft class was in 2025, fans had to accept the reality that the Kansas City Chiefs put together yet another solid class. Kansas City’s class was headlined by first-round pick Josh Simmons, who is already getting some bad press before even playing a snap for the Chiefs.

Simmons was viewed as a mid-first-round talent that, of course, somehow slipped to the Chiefs with the No. 32 pick. Not only did the Chiefs get a talented prospect in the first round, but the team was also able to get an extra draft pick out of the Philadelphia Eagles to trade down one spot (in large part because the Chargers didn’t trade back with the Eagles).

As annoying as the Simmons pick was for Chargers fans, it’s worth noting that the offensive tackle does come with some mileage. In addition to a patellar tear, Simmons also carries character concerns with him to the NFL. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler details what one AFC executive said about the Chiefs’ first-round pick:

“It’s the proverbial ‘character concerns’ that kept him out of the top 20 per those I spoke to around the league,” Fowler writes.

“As one AFC personnel man put it: ‘Certain things are important to him — pass blocking, game day — but others are not, such as practices and run blocking.’ It’s up to the Chiefs, a veteran-laden team with a championship pedigree, to harness that ability and maximize the skill set.”

Chiefs’ Josh Simmons pick isn’t as worrisome for Chargers fans

It’s never a great sign when someone in the league is willing to question a player’s work ethic to this extent. This isn’t an off-the-record comment that somehow leaked; this is an executive making a calculated decision to say this to Fowler for him to report.

Simmons’ pass-blocking prowess and production (prior to the injury) are what got him drafted by the Chiefs. If he can put it all together, Simmons genuinely has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft.

Then again, Simmons also has a potentially low floor depending on how these “character concerns” translate to the NFL. Simmons is not going to last if he is not putting in the work in practice. If he doesn’t work on his efforts in the run game, his time in the league will be limited.

At the end of the day, the Chiefs know exactly who they drafted with the No. 32 pick. Simmons is entering a situation where he does not even need to start in year one. The Chiefs have an entire season to develop Simmons if need be, which is extra beneficial as he comes off an injury.

However, if these concerns are valid and Simmons doesn’t care much for practice, it is worth questioning how he will respond if he is not playing in his rookie season. Any kind of negative response could derail his development in the NFL, making it a bad first-round pick for the Chiefs.

Chargers fans are certainly hoping that is the route Simmons takes with the Chiefs. The last thing the Chargers need is for the Chiefs to land yet another superb offensive lineman in the draft.