Each day leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft — April 23-25 — TeamFB7 will break down a different team’s biggest draft need and the best selection to address it. Granted, teams will most often use their first-round pick on the best available player/value and not necessarily always their biggest need, so this isn’t going to compile together into a mock draft in the end. It’s more a breakdown of how each team could best address its most paramount priority if it chooses.
The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t picked in the top 20 — let alone the top 10 — of the NFL draft since striking gold with quarterback Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 overall in 2017.
They managed to sustain the league’s most recent “dynasty” without the help of prime first-round draft picks, but their gilded run of seven straight AFC championship game appearances, five Super Bowl appearances in the span of six years and three titles hit at least a pause last season.
Injuries, suspension and inconsistency in the receiving corps, a disappearing rushing attack and Mahomes’ punctuating season-ending Week 15 knee injury kept the Chiefs out of the playoffs for the first time in 11 years and with their first losing record (6-11) of coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons at the helm.
Because of that, though, the Chiefs hold the No. 9 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, also a late first-round selection (No. 29) from trading cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, and seven other picks.
With that, Kansas City has a chance to reload and — if done right — quickly return to top contender status with Reid’s steady leadership, Mahomes’ eventual return early next season (if not by his stated goal of Week 1), one more season of future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce, a bolstered rushing attack and the draft haul to come.
So how should the Chiefs use those two first-round picks? We have some thoughts …
What Are Biggest Needs for the Kansas City Chiefs In The 2026 NFL Draft?
In addition to trading the two-time All-Pro cornerback McDuffie to the Rams — for 2026 first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks and a 2027 third-rounder, with Los Angeles then making him the highest-paid cornerback in football (4 years, $124 million) — Kansas City lost its other standout starting corner when Jaylen Watson departed via free agency also to the Rams (3 years, $51 million). Additionally, key reserve CB Joshua Williams got a 2-year, $8-million contract from the Titans.
To replenish the CB depth chart so far, the Chiefs signed former Dolphins nickel cornerback Kader Kohou, who made 38 starts in three seasons before missing 2025 with a partially-torn ACL, and former Bills first-round draft bust Kaiir Elam, who split last season between the Cowboys and Titans.
There is actually a lot of optimism that 2025 third-round pick Nohl Williams (48 tackles, 7 passes defended in five starts and 17 games overall as a rookie) and Kristian Fulton, a former starter with the Titans and Chargers, can step into bigger roles. Fulton is on the second year of a 2-year, $20-million contract but was limited to two starts in eight games by injuries last season. The Chiefs are counting on him.
If those two and Elam can step up in some combination on the outside, with Kohou and Christian Roland-Wallace filling the nickel corner spot, Kansas City doesn’t necessarily have to use that No. 9 pick to make up for the high-profile free agent departures.
Because the Chiefs actually have an even more pressing defensive need in this draft.
Kansas City is still anchored up front by dominant defensive tackle Chris Jones, signed former Patriots nose tackle Khyiris Tonga to help on the interior (while losing DTs Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery in free agency), and have George Karlaftis (30.5 sacks in four seasons) back on the edge.
But the depth at edge rusher — especially with key reserve Charles Omenihu signing with the Commanders — is glaringly thin. We’ll just leave it at that.
Rounding out the defensive breakdown …
The Chiefs are solid at linebacker with veteran mainstays Drue Tranquill (103 tackles, 10 tackles for loss in 2025) and Nick Bolton (154 tackles, 10 TFLs). And they signed former Chargers and Ravens safety Alohi Gilman for 3 years and $24 million to replace Bryan Cook (who signed with the Bengals) to pair with returning starter Chamarri Conner (career-high 117 tackles last season).
So the defensive needs are clear.
Chiefs’ Biggest Offensive Needs In NFL Draft
The Chiefs already made their big move at running back. After many linked Kansas City early on as an obvious landing spot for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love in the draft, Love’s skyrocketing draft stock made it highly unlikely he’d still be on the board at No. 9, so the Chiefs splurged in free agency to sign former Seahawks star and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III for 3 years, $43.05 million.
Walker, who had 313 rushing yards, 104 receiving yards and 4 TDs in the Seahawks’ three postseason games on the way to the Super Bowl title, will be a massive upgrade over the plodding pairing of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco.
Kansas City is also obviously set at quarterback (signing Justin Fields to backup Mahomes), tight end (with Kelce and Noah Gray) and on the offensive line with 2025 first-round pick Josh Simmons at left tackle, 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia at left guard, first-team All-Pro Creed Humphrey entering his sixth year as the team’s starting center, ditto for two-time Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith while Jaylon Moore (427 snaps played in 2025) steps in as the starting right tackle with the release of former starter Jawaan Taylor.
That leaves just one offensive position for consideration near the top of the Chiefs’ draft.
Kansas City has struggled to find stability (more to the point consistency and reliability) at wide receiver since Tyreek Hill was traded to the Dolphins four years ago.
Kelce has been the team’s leading receiver each of the last four seasons while the top wide receiver has fluctuated each year:
2022: JuJu Smith-Schuster (78 catches for 933 yards and 3 TDs)
2023: Rashee Rice (79-938-7)
2024: Xavier Worthy (59-638-6)
2025: Rice (53-571-5)
Rice (a second-round pick in 2023) and Worthy (a first-round pick in 2024) were supposed to form the team’s top WR tandem for the foreseeable future.
But Rice has played just 12 total games over the last two seasons, missing most of the 2024 season with a knee injury and half the 2025 season due to a six-game suspension for a high-speed hit-and-run conviction and later a concussion.
Worthy injured his shoulder in the 2025 opener after colliding with Kelce and missed the next two games, but the bigger issue is that he simply hasn’t been the difference-maker Kansas City expected with 101 catches, 1,170 yards and 7 TDs combined through his first two seasons.
Those two and Tyquan Thornton (19-438-3), who re-signed on a 2-year, $11-million deal, form an underwhelming top of the depth chart for a team with Super Bowl ambitions.
So we’d rank the Chiefs’ most pressing needs as EDGE, WR and CB in that order, and it would be surprising if they didn’t use their three picks within the top 40 of the draft to address those spots.
Who Should Kansas City Select In The First Round Of 2026 NFL Draft?
Before giving our own recommendation for how the Chiefs should use their two first-round picks, let’s survey some of the most notable mock drafts and who those analysts project the Chiefs taking at No. 9 and No. 29.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.; Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 9, South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse at No. 29
The Ringer’s Todd McShay: LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 9, Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas at No. 29
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah: Utah OT Spencer Fano at No. 9, Tennessee CB Colton Hood at No. 29
ESPN’s Field Yates: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson at No. 9, Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell at No. 29
ESPN’s Peter Schrager: Tyson at No. 9, Hood at No. 29
ESPN’s Matt Miller: Bain at No. 9, Clemson CB Avieon Terrell at No. 29
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa at No. 9, Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq at No. 29
How’s that for a variety of opinions?
This is indeed where the NFL draft gets very interesting and harder to project.
Based on our outline of the Chiefs’ biggest needs, here’s what we’d recommend for the team at No. 9:
– If Bain is somehow still on the board — it’s possible, but we also think the Titans at No. 4 and the Saints at No. 8 should strongly consider him if available — then he’s the right pick for Kansas City. The Chiefs were among the teams to sit down and visit with Bain at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s faced questions about his arm length since the combine, but Bain was the engine of a defense that powered Miami to the national championship game. Per PFF, he ranked second nationally among edge rushers with 67 pressures last season while totaling 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
Assuming Bain (and Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey) are off the board by No. 9, though, the Chiefs face a tough decision.
– LSU first-team All-American Mansoor Delane is the consensus top cornerback available in the draft. PFF graded him 3rd (90.5) out of 897 qualifying cornerbacks in college football last season. Per PFF, he allowed just 14 receptions all season while allowing a 31.3 passer rating when targeted, with 2 INTs, 11 passes defended and 45 tackles. He had 4 INTs in 2024 for Virginia Tech. And even if the Chiefs are confident in their existing corners to step up, Delane is likely an upgrade on all of them.
If the Chiefs can’t grab one of the top edge rushers (Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, who will definitely be off the board, Bailey or Bain), and Delane is available (likely), it would be hard to pass on a 6-foot cornerback with blazing speed and elite coverage instincts.
Delane is our first contingency pick for Kansas City behind the top edge rushers.
– We’re officially to the point of the draft where teams have to think if they’re going to regret passing on a potentially generational safety in Ohio State two-time All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Caleb Downs. As noted, the Chiefs don’t need to pay a premium for that position, but sometimes best player available has to take precedence.
Conner may have set a career-high in tackles last season, but PFF ranked him 82nd out of 98 qualifying safeties while evaluating him as weak in both coverage and against the run. This would be a bit of a surprise perhaps (just look at the noted mock drafts above), but if Downs is on the board here (and he very well may not be), the Chiefs should take him over a wide receiver. They aren’t so desperate at WR to pass on a player in Downs considered among the surest things in this draft.
– If Bailey and Bain are gone, and if Delane is gone, and if Downs is gone — it’s highly doubtful all four are off the board in the top 8 — then we’d look wide receiver. But the Giants, Browns, Commanders and Saints could all consider a WR between picks 5-8. As noted throughout this series, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate is considered the top WR in the draft, followed in some order by USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson — we like Lemon over Tyson. He could play in the slot or outside for the Chiefs and fit around whichever other of their WRs are available from one game to the next.
But there’s also a nice depth of late first-round/Day 2 wide receivers we really like, as we broke down previously.
If the Chiefs don’t get an EDGE at No. 9, they’re going to have to take one at No. 29. Names to consider and potentially available there are Clemson’s T.J. Parker, Miami’s Akheem Mesidor, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Missouri’s Zion Young, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell (also dogged by a short arm measurement at the combine) and Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas. At that point of the draft, it’s eye of the beholder.
Faulk has the untapped high-ceiling upside but greater risk while Parker would be the safest play if available.
If Kansas City got its EDGE at No. 9, then we’d pounce on the next crop of wide receivers. (We only slotted CB ahead at No. 9 if the event the top player at the position, Delane, is available).
Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion (61 catches for 919 yards and 9 TDs, plus 2 punt return TDs last season) is projected to likely sneak into the back of the first round and may already be off the board at this point, while Washington’s Denzel Boston (62-881-11) and Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. (69-937-13) are the other wideouts to consider here.
The Chiefs also hold the No. 40 pick, though, and if they don’t like the WRs available at the end of the first round, they could go cornerback — Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, Tennessee’s Colton Hood or South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse — at No. 29 and still have a depth of intriguing WR talent to pull from 11 picks later.
