Drue Tranquill is a Kansas City Chiefs linebacker who turned in a career year as a run defender in 2025.
Tranquill was a fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2019 and spent his first four seasons with the Chargers. He signed with Kansas City in 2023 and has started at the WILL linebacker spot ever since. In 2025 he posted career-best numbers against the run while anchoring the middle of the Chiefs' defense.
Path to the league
Tranquill was a team captain and standout at Notre Dame before the Chargers drafted him in the fourth round in 2019. He battled through early-career injuries in Los Angeles and grew into a dependable starter and special-teams contributor. He joined the Chiefs as a free agent in 2023 and has held down the WILL linebacker job in Kansas City.
Career highlights
Tranquill has become a steady presence in the Chiefs' defense, valued for his instincts and tackling. His 2025 season stood out as his best as a run defender. He has spoken openly about wanting to stay in Kansas City, telling Arrowhead Pride the place had become special to him.
2025 season
Per Pro Football Focus, Tranquill recorded 103 total tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and a pass defensed across 17 starts in 2025. His 89.4 PFF run-defense grade ranked sixth among qualifying linebackers, and his 76.2 overall grade placed 13th. He enters 2026 projected as the Chiefs' starting WILL linebacker for a third straight season.
Sources
- Arrowhead Pride: Drue Tranquill on Kansas City
- ESPN: Drue Tranquill player page
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
17 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | chiefs | 17 | 103 | 55 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | chiefs | 16 | 94 | 54 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | chiefs | 16 | 79 | 54 | 4.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | chargers | 17 | 146 | 95 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | chargers | 14 | 76 | 45 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | chargers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | chargers | 15 | 75 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Notre Dame
- Hometown
- Fort Wayne, IN, USA
- Age
- 30
- Status
- active
