A Cornell transfer who became the second straight Penn State center drafted by an NFL team, Hunter Nourzad has spent his early career developing behind the Chiefs' starting offensive line.
Hunter Nourzad's road to the NFL ran through the Ivy League, where he started at Cornell before transferring to Penn State and becoming an all-conference center. The Chiefs drafted him in the fifth round in 2024, and he's been working to earn a bigger role in Kansas City's trenches ever since.
Path to the league
Nourzad began his college career with the Cornell Big Red before transferring to Penn State, where he started all 13 games at center and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. The Chiefs traded up with the Cowboys to select him with the 159th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the second Penn State center drafted in as many years after Juice Scruggs went to the Texans in 2023.
Career highlights
Nourzad's move from the Ivy League to a Power Four starting job at Penn State capped a college career built on steady development. Since joining the Chiefs, he has worked as a depth piece across the interior offensive line, competing for snaps at both center and guard.
2025 season recap
Nourzad appeared in 18 total games for Kansas City through the 2025 season but started just once, playing 92 offensive snaps and earning a 60.1 overall PFF grade. His role remained largely that of a reserve interior lineman behind the Chiefs' established starters.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Hunter Nourzad
- ESPN: Hunter Nourzad
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- offense
- College
- Penn State
- Hometown
- Marietta, GA, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
Team
