2025 NFL Draft: Former Ohio State Offensive Lineman Josh Simmons Drafted By Kansas City Chiefs With the No. 32 Overall Pick 

Former Ohio State offensive lineman Josh Simmons was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 32 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft held on Thursday. He is the fourth Buckeye taken in this year’s draft — joining Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, No. 19 overall), Donovan Jackson (Minnesota Vikings, No. 24) and Tyleik Williams (Detroit Lions, No. 28).

Simmons heads to the next level after spending two seasons with the Buckeyes, coming to the program ahead of the 2023 season after playing his first two collegiate years at San Diego State. The San Diego native immediately plugged into Ohio State’s starting front five in 2023 and was a stable figure on an otherwise patchwork unit, starting all 13 games that season at left tackle. 

Simmons continued that consistency into 2024 and started each of the first six games of the season — showing significant improvements in those games to emerge as a sure-fire first-round prospect — before suffering a season-ending torn patellar tendon in his left knee in the Buckeyes’ regular season loss to Oregon. 

Even with him missing each of the team’s last six regular season games, he was still named an honorable mention All-Big Ten player, receiving the honor from the league’s coaches. 

After his injury, Simmons left the team to focus on jumpstarting his recovery and NFL career, and he said during the NFL scouting combine that he was “way ahead of schedule” in his injury recovery. That was made evident when he went through several different workouts at Ohio State’s pro day. 

Simmons will now look to make a full recovery this offseason and try to compete for a starting role for the Chiefs.