Branden Albert Branden B . Albert ( born November 4 , 1984 ) is an American football offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Chiefs 15th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft . He played college football at Virginia . Early years . Albert grew up in a single - parent home in Rochester , New York . He failed his freshman year of high school twice and nearly flunked out of school midway through his third year as a ninth - grader . His mother , Susan Albert , decided to send him to Washington , D . C . , where his older brother Ashley Sims , a defensive lineman for the Maryland Terrapins from 1994 to 1997 , worked as a probation officer . As a junior at Glen Burnie High School , he started playing football . He was also a part of the basketball team , which made it to the state finals the final two years of Albert ' s career . Considered only a two - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Albert was not ranked among the nations top recruits . Because he had played football for only one season , but also because of Albert ' s poor grades , the University of Virginia was the only school to offer Albert a scholarship . College career . Still struggling academically , Albert spent the 2004 season at Hargrave Military Academy . He played football and was able to obtain a qualifying grade - point average and standardized test score . Albert would later credit Hargrave and coach Robert Prunty for his later success . Albert started all 37 games during his three - year career at Virginia , mostly at the offensive guard position as D ' Brickashaw Ferguson and later five - star recruit Eugene Monroe occupied the left tackle spot . He was only the second Virginia freshman since 1972 to start on the offensive line . Albert earned first - team All - Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a junior . Professional career . 2008 NFL Draft . Albert was the first guard taken in the draft , as well as the second Virginia Cavalier ( behind No . 2 pick Chris Long ) . He was the highest selected guard since Chris Naeole went 10th overall to the New Orleans Saints in the 1997 NFL Draft . Kansas City Chiefs . On July 24 , 2008 , Albert signed a five - year contract with the Chiefs . It was announced by the Chiefs that he would be moved to the tackle position , though he played guard at Virginia . Despite missing all four preseason games with a foot injury suffered at training camp , Albert still managed to start 15 games at left tackle ( only missing Week 5 at Carolina due to an elbow injury ) . He allowed just 4 . 5 sacks in 2008 , and the only penalty called against him all season was a false start . With high expectations , 2009 was a disappointing struggle for Albert . He committed 10 penalties and his 9 sacks allowed were the fifth most in the league . He missed Week 6 and 7 with an ankle injury but started the other 14 games . Despite his struggles , Albert finished the season a little stronger allowing no sacks in the final three games . Head coach Todd Haley later called his 2009 performance an " adjustment period " after losing nearly 40 pounds the last offseason in his request . Albert started 15 games in 2010 and has established himself as the Chiefs left tackle . He started 16 games in the 2011 season at left tackle , occasionally covering left guard due to the recent acquisition of Jared Gaither from the Baltimore Ravens . Albert received the Chiefs franchise tag March 5 , 2013 .