The Kansas City Chiefs have known two things during their current dynastic run: winning and freak of nature players. Mahomes. Hill. Jones. Now, Ashton Gillotte, a third-round pick out of Louisville, is poised to join that list. Though Kansas City is no stranger to finding value deep in the draft, Gillotte’s rare athleticism and college production suggest he could be one of the steals of 2025.
The Chiefs’ relentless pursuit of talent paid off once again with Gillotte, an edge rusher whose Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.75 places him in the top 52 of all defensive ends tested since 1987. That covers over 2,000 players (data courtesy of the @MathBomb X account). That’s 98, 99 percentile level athleticism. You wanted another freak Chiefs fans? You got one in this third round pick.
At 6’3″ and 275 pounds, Gillotte may not be the biggest edge prospect coming out of college, but what he lacks in sheer bulk, he more than makes up for in explosiveness and speed. As the @MathBomb X account noted, he clocked a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, displayed great agility in his shuttle and cone drills, soared for a 36.5-inch vertical leap, and showcased a robust broad jump. Gillotte’s physical tools are almost literally off the charts.
Few prospects bring that combination of speed, burst, and agility, especially among mid-round picks. That’s important context to remember. Gillotte was not a Top 10 selection, not even a first rounder. Players with that level of athleticism and production (which we’ll get too shortly) usually don’t make it past the first 20 picks. But Gillotte did, and the Chiefs look great for scooping him up. The only metric that may have dropped his draft stock, his size, looks manageable, especially if he adds 10–20 pounds over the next few years.
To put some context around Gilotte, he was compared to earlier picks and other widely recognized “athletic freaks” at edge rusher. He outpaces many of his peers and stands firmly atop the charts when measured against other athletic standouts from the 2025 class. His RAS is a remarkable 0.42 points higher than his next closest competitor, a significant margin considering the elite cohort of athletes he resides in.
What’s important about Gillotte is that he’s not just a workout hero who dominates in drills but not on the field. In fact, his college production was similarly outstanding. Gillotte posted a 20.9% pass rush win rate at Louisville, topping several of the notable edge defenders drafted before and after him. For context, the next-best prospect in the comparison group registered just 18.2%. Others hovered in the 12%–17% range.
His “true pass set” pass rush grade (a Pro Football Focus statistic that looks at plays that are only unambiguous passing situations) clocks in at a stellar 90.9. Gillotte also held his own against the run, earning a solid grade of 78 in run defense, demonstrating he’s not a one-dimensional pass rusher.
The young edge rusher also has significant starting experience as well; he started 35 games for Louisville in the ACC. Across his four-year career, he consistently stuffed the stat sheet: double-digit tackles for loss in back-to-back seasons and 26.5 career sacks (including 11 in 2023). Even as a freshman, Gillotte made an impact with 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks coming off the bench.
The Chiefs don’t need Gillotte to step in and carry the defense from day one. With the defensive line already anchored by established starters like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, Gillotte’s upside lies in his ability to contribute immediately as a pass rush specialist. He is likely to be featured in primarily third-down and obvious passing situations
This staggered introduction could serve him well, for both personal development and team impact. Kansas City has a rich history of developing mid-round gems into critical contributors. The defensive scheme run by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo should maximize Gillotte’s burst and flexibility early on, allowing him time to grow into a more complete player without the burden of immediate every-down responsibilities.
Kansas City’s run of three straight Super Bowl appearances is no accident. Their front office, led by GM Brett Veach, has repeatedly built championship rosters by excelling in the middle rounds of the draft. While fans and media often focus on high-profile first-rounders and the drama of late-round steals, it’s the depth, value, and upside of picks like Gillotte that provide the backbone of great teams.
Gillotte is still under the radar nationally, but don’t expect that to last long. As training camp unfolds and preseason games begin, his measurable athleticism and knack for beating blocks will draw more attention.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
