Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Which Chiefs’ Rookie Will Be a Star Next Season

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs have finished their 2025 season and have a lot to look forward to in 2026. Patrick Mahomes will be coming back from his ACL tear, and it'll be a developing story to see if he can return to the player he once was.

They have a top ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which they can use to address some of their roster's biggest issues. On top of another wave of rookie players coming, they have the development of their rookies to look forward to as well. Josh Simmons has looked like a star on the offensive side of the ball. Which one of their rookies on the defensive side has shown the same flashes?

2025 Top 15 Rookies

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Lauren Gray writes for Pro Football Focus , and she identified the top 15 rookies in 2025. For the Chiefs, only one of their players made the list, and that was Nohl Williams, who was the 13th-ranked rookie in his draft class, according to PFF.

"The third-round pick from California made plays all over the place in the Chiefs' loss to the Raiders. He was left alone for a sack on his lone pass-rushing snap of the day, and he added two tackles in run defense across 30 snaps en route to the fourth-best PFF run-defense grade (80.8) of the week", said Gray.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

As the season wound down and the Chiefs were no longer in playoff contention, Andy Reid made the wise choice of having their younger players play an increased role on both sides of the ball. Williams had made his NFL debut early in the season, but his playing time remained inconsistent for the rest of his rookie campaign.

Though Williams didn't record an interception in his rookie season, his game against the Las Vegas Raiders was one of his best performances. It left off his rookie season with hope for the future that he'll continue to develop and become a star in their secondary.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Chiefs' defense fell off a cliff in 2025, and that's a result of aging players not playing to the same degree as in previous years. Williams is a breath of fresh air for a secondary that's only showing its age more and more.

His development will be integral to how this defense bounces back, as he'll be expected to be their starter for the entirety of the 2026 season. They need Williams to actualize his potential, and he's off to an amazing start.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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