3 second-round prospects who could give the Chiefs first-round value in 2026

A lot is being made of the Kansas City Chiefs holding the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and for good reason. The Chiefs rarely find themselves drafting that high, and when you drop a top-10 selection into the middle of a Patrick Mahomes era, people immediately start daydreaming about a franchise-altering addition: a blue-chip tackle, a true WR1 profile, a pass rusher who changes protections—you get the idea. But if we’re being honest, the more “Chiefs” part of this draft might not be No. 9 at all.

Because in addition to that premium first-rounder, Kansas City is also picking at No. 40 overall, and that’s the sweet spot where general manager Brett Veach has quietly lived for years. It’s where the Chiefs have consistently landed players who have played substantial and impactful snaps for the franchise. In other words, while the league is obsessing over what Kansas City does at nine, the Chiefs could very realistically walk out of Round 2 with a player of a similar caliber to the type of prospect they’ve been getting with their recent first-round picks.

That’s what makes pick No. 40 so dangerous.

It’s more than a “nice bonus” pick. It’s an opportunity to land an immediate-impact player—whether that’s a receiver who can consistently separate against man coverage, an interior defensive lineman who stabilizes the front, or a back who adds real explosive juice—in addition to adding a blue-chip prospect in the first round. And with Veach clearly angling for a “soft reset” on the roster, Kansas City is positioned to come out of this draft with two first-round–caliber additions: one at No. 9 and another at No. 40.

Let’s take a look at three players who could make a first-round impact and should be available at pick No. 40: Antonio Williams (WR, Clemson), Dontay Corleone (NT/DT, Cincinnati), and Emmett Johnson (RB, Nebraska).

Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson (5'11", 190 lbs)

If you want the cleanest case for Antonio Williams, start here: he’s a functional solution against man coverage. Not a theory. Not a “maybe if the coaching hits.” A receiver with a baseline skill of creating separation.

The Chiefs’ offense in 2025 seemed to devolve into “everyone run your route and hope somebody wins.” That approach works when you have a true, consistent separator who forces coverage to tilt (like prime Tyreek Hill). But when defenses are comfortable living in press and tight man, you need wideouts who can manufacture windows on their own—off the line, at the breakpoint, and after the catch.

Williams can do that. He’s a polished route runner with the kind of tempo and suddenness that creates space, and he’s not a catch-and-fall player. With the ball in his hands, he brings legitimate burst and enough speed to punish leverage mistakes.

What Antonio Williams does well:

• Creates value after the catch: He accelerates quickly, understands angles, and turns routine completions into explosive plays.
• Route running ability: His ability to win with timing and leverage allows him to create separation against man or zone defenses.
• Competitive blocker: Has the willingness and ability to spring run plays with his blocking inside against slot corners and safeties.
• Day 1 impact player: His refined route running and YAC ability make him an impact player on day 1.

What Antonio Williams doesn't do well:

• Frame limitations: He’s not built like a receiver who’s going to bully press corners or make contested catches consistently.
• Release development: He doesn't have a diverse selection of releases off the line to be a dominant X receiver at the next level.
• Production questions: The raw numbers don't match his talent.

Antonio Williams' potential fit for the Chiefs

With Rashee Rice's newest offseason drama potentially impacting his ability to be on the field week 1 for KC, Williams would provide some "reliability" to a receiving room full of instability, while also giving them an option with a higher upside.

Looking at the bigger picture; If the receiver room has any volatility (health, availability, or simple inconsistency), Williams can slot in as a true difference maker in the offense.

Williams can also offer a profile Kansas City can use immediately with the guys currently on the roster: a receiver who can separate, operate in space, and give Mahomes a target that doesn’t feel like a weekly trust exercise.

Overall Impact

If Williams hits, the payoff isn’t “nice WR3 production.” It’s structural: The offense gains a consistent man-coverage counter. The run game becomes more dangerous because rushing attempts from our future explosive RB can turn into chunk plays instead of 3-5 yard gains. KC gains future flexibility with the decision to extend/not to extend Rashee Rice, and adds a player who can contribute early without needing a long developmental runway. For a team that’s trying to win every January, that’s exactly the kind of second-round value that provides a first-round impact.

Dontay Corleone, NT/DT, Cincinnati (6’1”, 335)

With a defense in desperate need of help along the defensive line, defensive line will undoubtably be a point of emphasis going into the 2026 NFL Draft.

Not only do the Chiefs need help creating non-simulated pressure, but the lack of defensive tackle options currently contracted through next year's season (Chris Jones and Omarr Norman-Lott being the only two) do not include a 1-tech defensive tackle.

Enter Dontay Corleone, a true interior anchor with rare power and technical mastery. Not only is he a guy who can anchor the defensive line against the run, but he can pair his strength with his functional quickness and hand usage, to truly dominate the line of scrimmage.

What he does well:

- Legitimate mass and strength: He’s not getting displaced by NFL double teams just because someone “wants it more.”

- Surprising first-step quickness for 335: That matters against modern run games that weaponize angles, motion, and movement

- Hand fighting and technique: Does a great job at controlling the hands of bigger guards trying to get him off balance

- Run defense with pass-rush utility: Uses his power to collapse the interior offensive line, forcing opposing QBs into the arms of the defensive ends

What he doesn't:

- Stamina vs tempo: Hurry-up offenses can cause him to gas quickly, so he will not be able to be in late in close games early in his career

- Length concerns: Will probably measure in with below average arm length, limiting his potential pass rushing impact

- Medical concerns: blood clot issues will impact his draft slot

Potential fit:

This pick is about archetypes and roster construction. The Chiefs have had talented interior players, but true early-down 1-tech stability isn’t always something you can scheme around. Corleone gives you a body type and play style that reduces the margin for error against physical rushing attacks (exactly the type of football you see in December and January), while still giving you some pass rush upside against early down play action style pass plays.

Overall Impact:

Adding a run stopping 1-tech with pass rush upside not only upgrades KC's run and pass defense, but gives Spags' the ability to move our pass rushing interior defensive lineman (Jones and Lott) around the formation. Ensuring the best and freshest pass rushers are always on the field for the most important downs of the game.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska (5’11”, 200)

Kansas City’s run game in 2025 could best be described as predictable and non-explosive. In fact, KC feature 2 running backs that ranked 38th (Isiah Pacheco) and 46th (Kareem Hunt) overall in explosive play %, Which, in today's NFL, is not a winning formula for playoff (or regular season) football. When defenses don’t fear chunk gains on the ground, they play lighter boxes with confidence, stay disciplined in coverage, and force you to execute perfectly for 12–15 plays at a time.

Emmett Johnson helps change that equation.

He isn’t built on gimmicks. His game is rooted in vision, efficient decision-making, and the kind of burst that turns “tackled for a loss" into "explodes for a 19 yard play". He finds the correct lane, hits it decisively, and has the change-of-direction ability to make linebackers pay when they guess wrong.

What he does well:

- High-level vision and pacing: He consistently identifies the right crease and commits without hesitation, while not relying solely on his speed

- Burst and lateral agility: He can redirect without losing speed, explode off of quick cuts, and forcing defenders to commit so he can break their pursuit angles

- Ball security and reliability: Does a great job at keeping the ball secure and not turning positive plays into incredibly negative ones

- Receiving utility: He’s comfortable in space and offers real value as a checkdown and route runner

What he doesn't:

- True breakaway speed: He doesn't have the breakaway speed to turn a few missed tackles into touchdowns instead of long gains

- Pass protection: He has very limited pass protection snaps and didn't show incredible technique on those reps, which will limit his usage on 3rd downs

Potential fit:

This is the practical argument: the Chiefs can’t ignore the long-term shape of the RB room (Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell being the only two running backs contracted through the 2026 NFL season), and they don’t need to spend the No. 9 pick to address it.

Johnson also has lots of reps running inside/outside zone from the shotgun (Andy Reid's preferred style of run) and his receiving profile gives him a pathway to early snaps even if his pass protection technique requires time to develop.

More importantly, he adds something the offense has lacked: explosive competence (a back who can gain chunk plays without creating a bunch of negative plays

Overall Impact:

Johnson isn’t just a “fun” pick. He’s a pick that changes defensive rules.

- Defenses have to respect the Chiefs limited rushing attempts because he can be so efficient in those reps

- Andy Reid can create a more balanced offense because of Johnson's efficiency

- The run games stops being a "nice changeup" to throwing the ball and becomes a real lever the Chiefs can pull early in the season (if Mahomes isn't there due to his late season injury) or when coverages commit to heavily to stopping the pass

Conclusion: The Common Thread -- Leverage

The connective tissue across these three prospects isn’t their ties to Kansas City, the strength of their competition, or their coachability. It’s leverage.

Antonio Williams gives the Chiefs a credible, repeatable answer against man coverage and adds stability in case one of the most unreliable receiver rooms in the league starts to fluctuate, while Dontay Corleone gives them structural integrity up front and reduces the defense’s vulnerability to physical rushing attacks. Also, Emmett Johnson adds a dose of explosiveness and efficiency that changes the current run/pass dynamic.

That’s what a strong Chiefs second-round pick looks like: not a luxury, not a developmental dart throw; a player who changes how you can operate in the future, while providing long-term upside.

And if Kansas City is genuinely executing a “soft reset” while keeping its championship window wide open, that’s exactly the type of value pick No. 40 is supposed to deliver.