Kansas City Chiefs go in a surprising direction in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Kansas City Chiefs' fifth-round pick is officially in!After trading up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa with the 156th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The Chiefs traded pick Nos. 164 and 225 to Pittsburgh for 156. 164 was the pick K.C. received in their first-round trade with the […]
The Kansas City Chiefs' fifth-round pick is officially in!
After trading up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa with the 156th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Chiefs traded pick Nos. 164 and 225 to Pittsburgh for 156. 164 was the pick K.C. received in their first-round trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, moving down from pick No. 31 to pick No. 32. In that deal, they also acquired Ohio State LT Josh Simmons with pick No. 32.
Everything to know about
Age: 22 (9/20/2002)
A to Z Sports Draft Projection: Pick 120 overall, Round 4
Scouting Report: Jeffrey Bassa very much plays like a former safety prospect who transformed his body at Oregon. A hybrid defender who emerged as a foundational piece for the Ducks' defense in 2022, Bassa can fill several roles on any given drive. He lacks length and bulk as a traditional linebacker, but he's smart, fluid, and can be more than just a special teamer in the right defensive scheme. – A to Z Sports' Ian Valentino
Career Projection: Boom or bust eventual starter.
Why does LB Jeffrey Bassa make sense for the Chiefs?
Quietly, this is another long-term need for Kansas City with potential for the linebacker room to look much different in 2025. Nick Bolton is the only starter who is under contract long term. Leo Chenal is slated to become a free agent in 2026, and the Chiefs can get out of the final year of Drue Tranquill’s contract to clear $6 million in salary cap space. With those moves in mind, adding a depth piece with upside on special teams and multiple positions makes a ton of sense.
At 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, Bassa has the versatility and flexibility to play multiple positions on defense, but he's probably a good fit for the WILL linebacker spot in Kansas City. He wore the green dot for Oregon last season. His productivity matches their trust in him on defense in Eugene, tallying 236 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and seven passes broken up in 55 career games. He'll offer immediate special-teams value as well.