2025 NFL mock draft: Complete first-round mock draft predictions

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan

It almost feels wrong giving the Kansas City Chiefs any more good players to add to their roster. It’s one thing to have a generational type of player in Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, and it’s another entirely to build the team the way general manager Brett Veach has. The Chiefs legitimately have had one of the best offenses in the NFL and one of the best defenses in the NFL for a couple of seasons now, a testament to player development all around the roster.

Defensively, this team is bringing waves of pass rush with Chris Jones obviously leading the way, but a couple of former first-round picks off the edge in George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who could have a breakout year in 2024. The Chiefs have a chance here to add another impact player along the defensive front in Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, an ascending interior defender who had 5.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and five batted passes last season for the Wolverines.

32. San Francisco 49ers: Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss

The San Francisco 49ers have had to reload on the defensive front a little bit over the last handful of years, the most notable recent move being the team’s decision to part ways with former first-round pick and veteran Arik Armstead (who signed with the Jaguars). The Niners still have talent on the defensive front, but they have moved on not just from Armstead but also 2020 first-round pick Javon Kinlaw and the guy he was supposed to replace – DeForest Buckner. That’s a lot of talent on the defensive front, and the 49ers have really supplemented by signing guys instead of hitting in the NFL Draft. 

A player like Walter Nolen, an Ole Miss transfer in 2024, could end up being a significant impact player for this team. From Pro Football Focus:

"The former No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 high school class, Nolen began to live up to that hype in his sophomore season for Texas A&M. His seven sacks this year were tied for third among SEC interior defensive linemen as were his eight tackles for loss/no-gain. He was also fourth among SEC defensive tackles with a 9.9% pass-rush win rate."

- PFF

Adding that pass rush win rate next to Nick Bosa on the defensive line could be lethal.