AG #97

Ashton Gillotte

Defensive End · Louisville

A four-year Louisville standout with 26.5 career sacks, Gillotte earned the Chiefs' rookie of the year honor in his first pro season.

Ashton Gillotte arrived in Kansas City as a third-round pick out of Louisville in 2025 and immediately made his presence felt as a rotational edge rusher. He took home the Chiefs' Mack Lee Hill Award as the team's top rookie, a sign the coaching staff expects a bigger role for him going forward.

★ Chiefs Mack Lee Hill Rookie of the Year award (2025)

★ First-team All-ACC (2023)

★ 26.5 career sacks at Louisville

Path to the league

Gillotte was born in Middletown, Ohio, before his family relocated to Boca Raton, Florida. He played four seasons at Louisville from 2021 to 2024, earning first-team All-ACC honors in 2023 and second-team All-ACC in 2024. The Chiefs selected him with the 66th overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a pick they acquired in the trade that sent L'Jarius Sneed to Tennessee.

Career highlights

Gillotte finished his Louisville career with 26.5 sacks, including 11 in his 2023 season alone. He tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and a 36.5-inch vertical jump for a defensive lineman. His blend of production and athleticism made him a rotational pass rusher from day one in Kansas City.

2025 season recap

Gillotte played in all 17 games as a rookie, starting twice, and finished with 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a pass breakup. His steady all-around play earned him the Chiefs' Mack Lee Hill Award, given annually to the team's top rookie. He heads into his second season expected to carve out an expanded role in Kansas City's defensive end rotation.

Sources

Wikipedia: Ashton Gillotte
Pro Football Reference: Ashton Gillotte
Arrowhead Pride: Chiefs Draft - Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte taken at No. 66