Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City drafted the third offensive lineman of the weekend to round out this year’s class.
The Kansas City Chiefs have selected Holy Cross guard C.j Hanson with the 248th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Background: A multi-sport athlete growing up in New Jersey, Hanson originally enjoyed lacrosse the most. In fact, it took him until his senior year of high school to become a starting offensive lineman. He didn’t earn any notoriety as a recruit, but still earned offers from FCS schools — including Holy Cross.
Over five years in college, Hanson only played right guard, but was a starter for his final three years. In 2023, he was a team captain and earned third-team All-American honors. Declaring for the NFL Draft, he attended the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Hanson made a name for himself at the NFL Scouting Combine by posting ridiculous athletic results for an interior offensive lineman: each of his marks in the 40-yard dash, vertical leap, and broad jump were 95th-percentile results or better.
Strengths: With his height and athletic ability, Hanson has the look of a true guard — one that gets out of his stance with urgency. He uses his frame really well to make an impactful punch and stay on a block. He can cut off linebackers at the second level and keep them at bay.
Weaknesses: While he has the frame, Hanson certainly needs to add overall playing strength to take advantage of it. His lack of natural leverage can be exposed because he isn’t naturally strong to overcome it. As a blocker, he’s a leaner — which can get linemen that don’t have enough strength into trouble.
How he fits with the Chiefs: As the second interior offensive lineman picked on Day 3, Hanson will be competing with fifth-round pick Hunter Nourzad to be immediate depth on the interior; The Athletic’s Dane Brugler noted Hanson working “overtime” to show his ability to snap the football during this draft cycle.
However, Hanson does not have the same foundation of compact mass that makes Nourzad look prepared to get thrown into the mix in Year 1. Hanson may not be as ready to fill in at a guard or center spot in the immediate future.
*Acquired in a 2023 NFL Draft trade with Dallas
**Acquired in a 2024 NFL Draft trade with Buffalo
