Iowa State’s Jalen Travis fits what the Chiefs like in their tackles

The former Princeton tackle could be a viable Round 3 option in Kansas City’s draft.

Given what we’ve seen from Round 2 draft pick Kingsley Suamataia and Round 3 selection Wanya Morris, Kansas City Chiefs’ fans might not be interested in taking a tackle after the NFL Draft’s first round.

While picks after the first round are likelier to be dart throws, both Suamataia and Morris were physically talented tackles with traits worth developing. That’s why it’s still a good idea for the Chiefs to take some swings at the position until they get it right.

In the 2025 draft, there are six tackles worth a pick in Round 1. There’s a good chance that all of them will be gone by the time Kansas City goes on the clock for the 31st pick.

Unfortunately, I don’t love most of the tackles who will probably be available on Day 2. But there is one guy I have enjoyed watching: Iowa State’s Jalen Travis.

Background

A cousin of Ross Travis — who played for the Chiefs in 2016 and 2017 — Jalen came out of De La Salle High School in Minneapolis as a rather unknown three-star recruit with offers from only two Power 4 schools: Iowa State and Minnesota. But he was also getting interest from FCS and Ivy League programs, so he chose Princeton.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Princeton didn’t play — but in 2021, Travis was a rotational tackle who appeared in seven games. He became the starting right tackle in 2022, making second-team All-Ivy League. He moved to the left side in 2023, playing in only six games before being injured — but still made the second-team All-Ivy League squad.

After transferring to Iowa State in 2023, Travis appeared in 12 games — starting 11 — at left tackle, making the honorable All-Big 12 team as he allowed just one sack over 475 pass attempts.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Travis came in at just under 6 feet 8 and 339 pounds, with 34 7/8-inch arms and 10 1/2-inch hands. He showed great athleticism for his very large frame, running a 5.14-second 40-yard dash with a 1.80-second 10-yard split. His 35-inch vertical jump and 9 feet 4 broad jump are incredible for his size, showing elite explosiveness.

Travis did some agility drills at his Pro Day, too — but they didn’t go well. After I watched his film, I wasn’t surprised.

Film evaluation

Travis’ massive frame jumps out on film; by far, it’s his biggest strength. He leverages it well, using his length to keep edge rushers off his chest. In the Big 12, he almost never lost to a bull rush because defenders couldn’t get close to his frame. Travis also has strong, powerful hands that defenders struggle to chop down.

Travis doesn’t gain a lot of depth in his pass sets. Instead, he uses flatter (or shorter) vertical sets. While some players can’t get away with this approach, Travis’ length allows him to track his inside shoulder and widen the angle beyond 10 yards. This helps him against speedy pass rushers.

As a run blocker, Travis is better on the back side than the front side. He struggles to get low so that he can push edge rushers off their spot while setting the edge. But on the back side — where almost all of his best run-blocking plays have happened — he can explode into a 3-technique defender, getting his hips around them to seal them off.

Travis’ biggest weakness is his recovery athleticism. While he tested great, this is where his poor agility shows up. He tends to lunge, leaving him susceptible to pull moves around the corner; defenders can spin or jump inside, where he struggles to recover. Travis also doesn’t display tremendous range. His technique and length allow him to do well against a defender’s first move — but on the second, he’s more likely to be exposed. That will be a concern while blocking high-level NFL pass rushers.

How he fits with the Chiefs

Head coach Andy Reid has rather strict length requirements for his offensive tackles — particularly those coming to him through the draft. Travis would exceed every one of his physical thresholds.

I also think Reid would be comfortable with Travis’ skillset. With the Cyclones, Travis wasn’t getting much help; he was often left on an island. Nor did the team run a lot of bootlegs that would have limited what he had to do in pass protection. His technique is similar to what we saw from Orlando Brown Jr. in Kansas City — but he also has experience in a dropback offense. I think Reid would sign off on him.

The bottom line

While Travis shows elite size and explosiveness, his draft stock has fallen because of concerns about his agility. This lowers his NFL ceiling, because savvy rushers will find counters that take advantage of his lack of lateral quickness.

But most mock drafts I’ve seen have Travis going on Day 3, which I think is low. With his big frame, explosiveness and film from a dropback offense, I’d be comfortable taking him in Round 3. In the NFL, Travis could be a decent stopgap solution — something the Chiefs could use.

If the Chiefs have to wait to draft a tackle, Travis is one of the few I’d be excited to get.

Grade: Round 3