Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are off to another 2-0 start, but even general manager Brett Veach must admit it hasn't gone according to plan. Kansas City expected former first-round pick Josh Simmons to start at left tackle, protecting Mahomes's, the face of the franchise, blindside. Undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson. had been cross-training at both right guard and right tackle during training camp, competing with veteran Jaylon Moore for the latter starting job.
But when the Chiefs welcomed the Colts on "Sunday Night Football" this past Sunday, Benson was all the way over where Simmons should have been. So, how did an undrafted free agent rookie draw the starting left tackle assignment on primetime in the NFL? Let's start from the beginning.
Benson, a native of Mississippi, accrued offers from LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and others during his 2020 recruiting process. He chose Indiana over Mississippi State on National Signing Day. As a true freshman, he suffered a knee injury in fall camp that cost him all of the 2020 season and left him recovering for a portion of the following year.
Over the next two seasons, he started 17 games at right guard and right tackle for the Hoosiers, but transferred to play for Deion Sanders at Colorado when Tom Allen was ousted as Indiana's head coach. The gap year in Boulder was spent protecting Shedeur Sanders, but he made just four starts at right guard due to injury. When the season ended, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti welcomed him back to Bloomington.
The lineman played in several high-leverage games as a result of Indiana's College Football Playoff run. The size and play strength were never a question coming out of college. He held his own against the likes of Oregon and Ohio State.
The issues came with hand placement and block retention. Did he have the foot quickness and flexibility to mirror and dip to meet rushers at the high side? He probably had enough traits to be drafted as a developmental player, but his injury history may have scared teams away.
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