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The Kansas City Chiefs attacked their defensive rebuild by selecting three players in the top 50 picks of this year’s draft, including Oklahoma Sooners defensive end R Mason Thomas. Brett Veach might go back to the same well during the 2027 NFL Draft if Taylor Wein declares.
Wein played fewer than 40 defensive snaps in his first two seasons with the Sooners before breaking out in 2025. He led the team with 36 total pressures and applied pressure on 14.1% of his pass rush attempts. Thomas produced pressures at a more efficient rate, but Wein stood out on a defensive front loaded with future NFL talent, including Gracen Halton and David Stone.
Wein needs to improve his first step off the line of scrimmage, but when he times the snap right, he fires off the ball with the quickness to win across the offensive tackle’s face and shoot gaps. As a one-year starter, his pass rush plan is still a work in progress. However, he displays the fundamental hand usage and power to develop into a second round selection.
Wein’s hands are heavy and carry the power into contact to disrupt offensive linemen. His pass rush arsenal includes long-arms, rips, spins and two-handed swipes. Wein’s swipes and chops are expertly timed, striking the lineman’s hands at the right moment to create clear lanes to the quarterback. This usually plays out with him disabling the offensive tackle’s outside hand to win around the edge.
Wein lacks elite bend but plays low enough to turn the corner and finish plays by flattening his rush angle. When the offensive tackle oversets, Wein uses his powerful strides to counter into the B-gap. His average arm length results in some specific matchup disadvantages. Mammoth offensive linemen, like Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin in 2025, threaten to engulf and completely halt Wein’s advances.
Wein’s play strength and heavy hands pop in the run game. He is a high motor defender who battles to set a strong edge and turn runs back inside toward his defensive tackles. Wein is an assignment-sound run defender with the skill set to play on every down at the next level.
The Sooners gave Wein plenty of snaps at 4-tech and 4i last year. He even took some snaps as a 3-tech. While he plays with the physicality to handle some 4-tech snaps in the NFL, he lacks the mass to continue reducing inside and projects best as a 5-tech.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs scouting report: Oklahoma Sooners DE Taylor Wein
Continue reading...
Wein played fewer than 40 defensive snaps in his first two seasons with the Sooners before breaking out in 2025. He led the team with 36 total pressures and applied pressure on 14.1% of his pass rush attempts. Thomas produced pressures at a more efficient rate, but Wein stood out on a defensive front loaded with future NFL talent, including Gracen Halton and David Stone.
Wein needs to improve his first step off the line of scrimmage, but when he times the snap right, he fires off the ball with the quickness to win across the offensive tackle’s face and shoot gaps. As a one-year starter, his pass rush plan is still a work in progress. However, he displays the fundamental hand usage and power to develop into a second round selection.
Wein’s hands are heavy and carry the power into contact to disrupt offensive linemen. His pass rush arsenal includes long-arms, rips, spins and two-handed swipes. Wein’s swipes and chops are expertly timed, striking the lineman’s hands at the right moment to create clear lanes to the quarterback. This usually plays out with him disabling the offensive tackle’s outside hand to win around the edge.
Wein lacks elite bend but plays low enough to turn the corner and finish plays by flattening his rush angle. When the offensive tackle oversets, Wein uses his powerful strides to counter into the B-gap. His average arm length results in some specific matchup disadvantages. Mammoth offensive linemen, like Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin in 2025, threaten to engulf and completely halt Wein’s advances.
Wein’s play strength and heavy hands pop in the run game. He is a high motor defender who battles to set a strong edge and turn runs back inside toward his defensive tackles. Wein is an assignment-sound run defender with the skill set to play on every down at the next level.
The Sooners gave Wein plenty of snaps at 4-tech and 4i last year. He even took some snaps as a 3-tech. While he plays with the physicality to handle some 4-tech snaps in the NFL, he lacks the mass to continue reducing inside and projects best as a 5-tech.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs scouting report: Oklahoma Sooners DE Taylor Wein
Continue reading...
