KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs made their first move on Saturday toward building their initial 53-player roster by adding an offensive tackle in a trade with Baltimore.
The club acquired Diego Pounds, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound 23-year-old from Ole Miss, in exchange for a conditional 2028 sixth-round selection, a source told Chiefs Digest.
Pro Football Focus ranked Pounds as their third-highest-graded rookie of the preseason after Week 2. He played 15 pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack or a hurry, and he earned a 91.1 run-blocking grade on 19 run snaps.
Pounds started his college career in 2021 at North Carolina as a redshirt freshman, and he played in five games in the 2022 season before playing 13 games with eight starts at left tackle in 2023. He transferred to Ole Miss for the 2024 season and played in 28 games for the Bulldogs with 24 starts at left tackle.
He earned third-team All-SEC honors last season. Draft analyst Dane Brugler with The Athletic ranked him as the 12th-best offensive tackle in the 2026 NFL Draft class and projected him a potential fourth-round selection. He went unselected, however, and signed with the Ravens after the draft.
The arrival of Pounds means the Chiefs will have two undrafted rookies providing depth on the offensive line this season. Kahlil Benson, who has rotated at tackle and guard throughout training camp, was undrafted as an offensive tackle from Indiana.
Brugler praised Rounds for his size — 33 3/4-inch arm length with a wingspan of 84 1/4 inches — smooth pass sets, well-timed and heavy hand strikes, and his ability to keep his head on a swivel. He noted that Pounds needed to avoid weight gain — he was close to 340 pounds in spring 2025 — and to work on his finishing and change-of-direction abilities.
“Overall, Pounds is a long, dense blocker with play strength who protects the integrity of the pocket, but he will need to be more consistent in the run game to stay on the field.” Brugler wrote. “He has the talent to compete for a backup role as a rookie — and, eventually, to outperform his draft spot.”
It’s the second trade made this week by general manager Brett Veach in retooling the team’s offensive line depth. On Tuesday, the Chiefs shipped their 2028 seventh-round choice to the New York Giants in exchange for veteran offensive guard Josh Ezuedu.
