KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City metro was well represented in the 2025 NFL Draft, with six players being selected from the area and one player from Lawrence being selected.

OT Armand Membou

Membou was the first player taken off the board from the KC metro, and rightfully so. The 6-foot-4, 330-pound OT was selected with the seventh overall pick by the New York Jets in the draft.

He was also the second offensive lineman to be selected, right after LSU’s Will Campbell. Membou attended Lee’s Summit North High School, where he was a four-star recruit before going to Mizzou, where he spent three years and earned All-SEC second team in 2024.

Membou boosted his draft stock after the NFL Combine, where he ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash time among offensive linemen with a 4.91.

OT Aireontae Ersery

Ersery was selected with the 48th pick in the 2nd round by the Houston Texans. He also is an offensive tackle and attended Ruskin High School, where he was a three-star recruit.

He went to the University of Minnesota and had an impressive senior season. He was named an AP Third Team All-American, Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year and first team All-Big 10. He earned second-team All-Big 10 his junior season.

WR Jaylin Noel

Noel was drafted with the 79th pick in the third round by the Texans. The Park Hill alum attended Iowa State for four years.

During his senior season with the Cyclones, Noel earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention wide receiver. He garnered second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2023.

CB Jacob Parrish

Parrish was taken with the 84th pick in the third round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He went to Olathe North High School, followed by Kansas State.

In his last season at K-State, he notched 50 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception and eight total passes defended. His play earned him an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod in 2024 and 2023.

QB Graham Mertz

Mertz was drafted with the 197th pick in the sixth round by the Texans, the third player from KC Metro selected by Houston. Mertz attended Blue Valley North, where he was a four-star recruit.

He then went to Wisconsin from 2019-2022 before transferring to Florida for his final two years. During his 2023 season with the Gators, Mertz threw 20 touchdowns with three interceptions to go along with 2,903 passing yards.

He tore his ACL five games into the 2024 season, ending his collegiate career. He had six touchdowns and two interceptions.

RB Devin Neal

Neal was selected 184th overall in the sixth round by the New Orleans Saints. He went to Lawrence High School as a four-star recruit before staying home and going to Kansas.

He had a decorated four-year career with the Jayhawks, as he is the school’s all-time leading rusher and played a huge part in bringing Kansas’ football program back to relevance.

Neal left Kansas with 4,343 yards and 49 touchdowns on 760 attempts (5.7 YPC). He holds school records for rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, scrimmage touchdowns and 100+ yard rushing games.

OT Mason Richman

Richman was drafted 234th in the 7th round by the Seattle Seahawks. He was a three-star recruit at Blue Valley High School.

He proceeded to go to the University of Iowa, where he spent four years, starting in four of them. He was an All-Big 10 honorable mention selection all four years as the starter.