With the 2026 NFL Draft fast approaching, it's time to take a look at the top prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs.
You’ll notice this Big Board differs from many national rankings. That’s intentional. We’ve built it around the Chiefs’ current roster makeup and positional needs. As a result, you won’t find many quarterbacks listed here, as Kansas City remains well-established at that position. Instead, we’ve placed greater emphasis on positions that could make a more immediate impact, such as defensive tackle, running back, and edge.
At the moment, the Chiefs are projected to hold six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chiefs are currently slated to have picks: 9, 40, 74, 109, 147 and 177. This will remain updated as the compensatory pick formula is updated. While our board presents players in a ranked order, we encourage readers to view them in tiers, as talent gaps within each tier can be fluid.
Because this Big Board is constructed with the Chiefs’ draft tendencies in mind, we’ve also factored in their historical preferences and athletic thresholds. For example, undersized edge rushers, offensive tackles with sub-34-inch arms, or smaller corners who shy away from contact typically don’t align with Kansas City’s profile, and our rankings reflect that. We’ve designed this board to fit what the Chiefs actually value, not just what draft analysts project.
New this year: click on each player's name to open an 800+ word scouting report and film cut up on the prospect!
Ranking the 2026 NFL Draft's top prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs
First round grades for the 2026 NFL Draft
These top 11 players represent our “1st-round grades.” As you'll notice, this is a pretty small list, which speaks to the class as a whole. While it's still early, we're pretty uninspired by this draft class so far and will adjust rankings accordingly.
With that being said, measuring players by their floor rather than their ceiling might be the safest choice for the 2026 NFL Draft class. These players represent the highest floors in the class. While the Chiefs won't be in the market to draft a QB, as always, they decide the draft, particularly the first round.
Prospect Rank | Name | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | David Bailey | ED | Texas Tech |
2 | ED | Miami | |
3 | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
4 | RB | Notre Dame | |
5 | WR | Ohio State | |
6 | LB | Ohio State | |
7 | WR | USC | |
8 | ED | Auburn | |
9 | Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU |
10 | CB | Tennessee | |
11 | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State |
Second round grades for the 2026 NFL Draft
Prospect Rank | Name | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
12 | Arvell Reese | ED/LB | Ohio State |
13 | OT | Utah | |
14 | IDL | Clemson | |
15 | Francis Mauigoa | IOL | Miami |
16 | Denzel Boston | WR | Washington |
17 | Kayden McDonald | IDL | Washington |
18 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon |
19 | KC Concepcion | WR | Texas A&M |
20 | Caleb Banks | IDL | Florida |
21 | Caleb Lomu | OT | Utah |
22 | Brandon Cisse | CB | South Carolina |
23 | Aveion Terrell | CB | Clemson |
24 | TJ Parker | ED | Clemson |
25 |
| IOL | Penn State |
The above players represent our second-round grades thus far. There will likely be a few more players added with a similar grade. This class feels particularly shallow in this area. We love our top 11 prospects but after that the drop off hits pretty quick. This might be good year for the Chiefs to stick and pick in the 1st round.