The 2026 NFL Draft is several months away, but with such an exciting college football season unfolding, we can't help but be enamored with future prospects alongside the current Kansas City Chiefs roster.
The Chiefs are 4-3 and play a reeling Washington Commanders team in Week 8, so it seems like a good week to pay some attention elsewhere, knowing that game will likely be one-sided like Week 7 was against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Here's a survey of the latest mock drafts for the 2026 edition and who they have Chiefs general manager Brett Veach selecting next April.
Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State (CBS Sports)
If the Chiefs want to raise the floor of the single lowest spot on the active roster, they'd focus on the defensive interior. While Chris Jones is one of the best defenders in the NFL at any position, the Chiefs are woefully thin inside.
This year, the Chiefs drafted Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round only to lose him to a season-ending injury in Week 7. Even before that, Veach decided to trade for Derrick Nnadi after letting him leave in a preseason deal that revealed just how worried they were about their depth at the position.
McDonald is a massive prospect at 6'3, 326 lbs., and his presence would immediately give Steve Spagnuolo the sort of interior presence he has lacked since he arrived in 2019. McDonald has also lined up at fullback for the Buckeyes, so you just know that Andy Reid would have fun with this angle from time to time.
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (USA Today)
The Chiefs were burned on their last attempt to grab a running back high in the draft, but the dearth of upside at the position in the last few years should have Veach hungry to take another significant swing at the position.
Love is a three-down prospect who should excel at the next level. He has already set numerous rushing records at Notre Dame, especially after leading the team with 19 touchdowns and 1,125 rushing yards a year ago as a sophomore. This year, he's averaging over 108 rushing yards per game with 12 scores on the season.
The Chiefs are set to watch Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt both hit the open market, leaving only this year's seventh-round pick Brashard Smith on the roster for 2026 and beyond. There's plenty of opportunity here for someone to become a vital cog in an elite offense for a Super Bowl contender for Week1 if the Chiefs want to make the pick.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (Athlon)
Kenyon Sadiq is coming into his own in his third season of production for the Ducks. He's potentially the first tight end off of draft boards in 2026, which would mean the Chiefs would be aiming for a first-class replacement for Travis Kelce if they were to go all-in on the position next spring.
It's quite possible (even likely) that Kelce will be retiring following this current season, and even though Rashee Rice has lapped him as the volume target in the Chiefs offense, he remains perhaps the most trusted outlet for Patrick Mahomes. That's not easily replaced.
The Chiefs still don't know what they have in Jared Wiley, who is sitting as a healthy inactive behind the assumed starter in Kelce's stead, Noah Gray. The Chiefs also keep a veteran around, so expect some version of Robert Tonyan to be there as well in the mix next spring. But the time could be ripe for the Chiefs to make the big positional splash in next year's draft.
Sadiq has 25 catches for 305 yards and 5 touchdowns in the season's first 7 games.