Kansas City Chiefs Fortify Linebacker Depth After NFL Draft with ‘Effective Blitzer’

Following a season that saw Steve Spagnuolo’s defense become a driving force in the franchise’s run to a second consecutive Super Bowl, Kansas City added a versatile linebacker as an undrafted free agent who has the potential to play his way into an impactful contributor.

Kansas City Chiefs’ Curtis Jacobs a Player to Watch

Following the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs signed former Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs as an undrafted free agent.

As rookie minicamps begin across the league, Pro Football Focus’ Thomas Valentine put together a list of undrafted free agents to watch across the NFL, including Jacobs.

“The Chiefs have a need for depth at the linebacker position,” Valentine writes for PFF. ‘And Jacobs could provide that. Jacobs logged 49 total tackles in 2023 and was an effective blitzer for Penn State, earning 31 pressures in the last two seasons and 69 defensive stops in the last three years.”

As a three year starter in Happy Valley, Jacobs developed into one of the most consistently dominant front-seven defenders for Penn State.

Last season, Jacobs produced 49 total tackles with 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.

“Jacobs has good size and play strength but offers average range as a tackler,” Lance Zierlein writes for NFL Media. “He plays with active hands and can work around blocks, but he’s often a step slow in diagnosing the play. Jacobs can fit run gaps and make plays that are in front of him, but he doesn’t show consistent enough field awareness to expect he’ll make plays on all three downs.”

While Nick Bolton is an ascending talent at inside linebacker for the Chiefs, Jacobs is capable of contributing quality snaps and could have the inside track winning a roster spot this summer.