Kahlil Benson is getting the kind of NFL opportunity that turns offseason buzz into real stakes. The former Indiana offensive lineman has been named the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting left tackle to open the 2026 season, a notable leap for a player who went undrafted this spring and had to earn his way into the picture after landing a rookie minicamp invite.
Kansas City’s decision comes with a bit of history attached. According to The Athletic’s Jesse Newell, the Chiefs have never started an undrafted rookie in Week 1 under head coach Andy Reid. Benson is the exception on the doorstep, and he’s arrived there by moving fast through the depth chart.
The 6-foot-6, 319-pound lineman signed a 3-year, $3.1 million contract with the Chiefs this offseason. That deal carries an average of $1.033 million per year through the 2028 season, and he’ll become a restricted free agent ahead of the 2029 season.
His rise picked up steam all summer. Benson was originally projected to start at right tackle for Kansas City, but a preseason back injury to starter Josh Simmons forced a change. Benson slid over to left tackle, where he’ll be responsible for protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside.
Reid made it clear last Thursday that Benson had already shown enough to earn the job. "He's (Benson) obviously shown us that he has ability to play," Reid said last Thursday. "We wouldn't put him in there if we didn't think that."
Benson’s path to this moment has been a long one, and it didn’t include any college snaps at left tackle. Across six seasons, he started 33 games between Indiana and Colorado, with 22 of those starts coming at right tackle and 10 at right guard.
Chiefs right tackle Jaylon Moore also pointed to Benson’s talent when talking about the rookie’s chance to start. "Kahlil is a hell of a football player, tons of talent," Chiefs' starting right tackle Jaylon Moore said last Thursday.
"It obviously put him in the position he is now to be able to go out and start his first NFL game. It's awesome to see."
Benson’s final college stop was a big one for Indiana. He appeared in all 16 games and started 12 times at right tackle during IU’s 2025 national championship season, helping an offensive line that finished as Joe Moore Award Finalists. During the middle of the season and into the postseason, Benson and redshirt sophomore Adedamola Ajani rotated at right tackle, including in the national championship game.
The Southaven, Miss., native began his Indiana career in 2020 and spent his first two seasons without appearing in a game. He then climbed into a bigger role in 2022 and 2023, logging 24 appearances and 17 starts before the coaching change that sent him into the transfer portal after the 2023 season.
He transferred to Colorado and played under Deion Sanders, though injuries limited him there to nine games and four starts at right guard. After the 2024 season, he entered the portal again and returned to Indiana for 2025.
Benson is now one of 18 former Hoosiers on active NFL rosters to begin the 2026 season. The full list includes Fernando Mendoza (QB, Las Vegas Radiers), Ian Thomas (TE, Las Vegas Raiders), Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, New York Jets), D'Angelo Ponds (CB, New York Jets), Marcelino McCrary-Ball (LB, New York Jets), Micah McFadden (LB, New York Giants), Kaelon Black (RB, San Fransisco 49ers), CJ West (DT, San Fransisco 49ers), Kurtis Rourke (QB, San Fransisco 49ers), Elijah Sarratt (WR, Baltimore Ravens), Myles Price (WR/RS, Minnesota Vikings), Riley Nowakowski (FB, Pittsburgh Steelers), Aiden Fisher (LB, Houston Texans), Pat Coogan (OL, Tennessee Titans), Luke Haggard (OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Dan Feeney (OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Ke'Shawn Williams (WR/RS, Cincinnati Bengals).
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