The Kansas City Chiefs have so much talent on the roster that not everyone gets the flashy headlines they probably deserve.
That's what happens when you have a perennial contender who has made it to three straight Super Bowls and won two. Kansas City is gearing up for what could be yet another big year and it's going to be interesting to see who steps up. Pro Football Focus' Jonathon Macri made a list of the "most underrated player" on each roster across the National Football League and mentioned 24-year-old linebacker Leo Chenal for Kansas City.
"Kansas City Chiefs: LB Leo Chenal," Macri said. "Chenal has a very specific role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, operating as an early-down/run-defending specialist and playing just 26 percent of the team’s possible third- and fourth-down snaps since 2023.
"Chenal has thrived in that early-down role, earning the third-best PFF run-defense grade (91.3) at his position since 2023, behind only Bobby Wagner (94.1) and Fred Warner (92.1). He has done this by engineering back-to-back seasons with top-four marks as a run defender, and as he enters a contract year, he should continue to be a key member of the Chiefs' run-defense unit."
Chenal was selected with the 103rd overall pick in the third round of the 2022 National Football League Draft and has been a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams in Kansas City. In 2024, Chenal racked up 60 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three passes defended, and three forced fumbles while playing all 17 games for Kansas City.
He hasn't gotten much buzz, but this is a guy who is going to play a big impact on the Chiefs' defense in 2025.
