They say the game of football is won and lost in the trenches. The Kansas City Chiefs used their first three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft up front, with one on offense (Josh Simmons) and two on defense (Omarr Norman-Lott, Ashton Gillotte). But the needs on both sides of the ball are still obvious, which could lead the Chiefs to plan accordingly in the 2026 draft as well.
Jacob Infante of the Pro Football Network is thinking the same way. His latest seven-round mock draft for the Chiefs brings plenty of talent up front while also delivering some instant impact on offense as well.
Let's take a look at his latest mock and see what it would bring to Kansas City.
Round 1 (No. 9 overall): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
2025 stats: 1,652 yards from scrimmage, 21 touchdowns
The debate about positional value will continue no matter how this pick goes down, but no one can deny that Jeremiyah Love would be a big hit on the field for the Chiefs from his first carry. The backfield has been an anchor on the offense for several seasons now, and the Chiefs have gotten by with fringe roster players in the ground game.
The addition of Love would give Kansas City its most dynamic weapon on offense overall, instantly relieving the pressure on Patrick Mahomes to force something in key situations. Together with Brashard Smith, a veteran free agent signing, and perhaps a return of Kareem Hunt , and the Chiefs would suddenly have an impressive core.
Round 2 (40): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
2025 stats: 41 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 1 FF
If the Chiefs take Love in the first round, that means they will have passed on Peter Woods or other potential help in the trenches, so it's nice to see Lee Hunter here.
Hunter is a massive run-stopper out of Texas Tech, whose presence would immediately raise the floor up front for the Chiefs. K.C. has relied on aging parts like Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel in recent years to get the job done, but making a high-level investment in a player with a demonstrated ability to consistently get into the opponent's backfield would make things easier on others at the position.
Round 3 (74): Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee
2025 stats: 33 tackles, 3 FF, 4 sacks
Going for an edge at the top of the third round would give K.C. a much stronger rotation behind George Karlaftis and Ashton Gillotte on the edges. Felix Anudike-Uzomah should be back after a lost season to injury. Mike Danna might be around if the Chiefs want to take the financial hit (or restructure).
Josephs would immediately raise the athletic ceiling at the position, and he had a knack for impact plays for the Vols' defense. Mel Kiper had him as his No. 5 OLB in his most recent pre-draft rankings. The Chiefs need to go edge here if they didn't in the first two rounds, so this is a nice get as a top-75 player.
Round 4 (109): Niki Prongos, OT, Stanford
2025 stats: 12 starts at left tackle
Prongos is a raw prospect who was able to make all 12 starts for Stanford in 2025. However, before that, he'd made only 8 total collegiate starts across two seasons at UCLA and only started playing the sport during his senior year of high school. At 6-7, 315 lbs., he's got the build for the role.
It's impossible to tell how Prongos would turn out, but the general idea of a developmental tackle for the Chiefs makes a lot of sense for the long term. Jaylon Moore should start at right tackle, but he's in a contract year. Esa Pole is around for a few more seasons, but the Chiefs have learned to keep multiple options on hand.
Round 5 (146): Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
2025 stats: 59 tackles, 2 INT, 3.5 TFL
The Chiefs have exhibited a rare ability to lean on Day 3 defensive backs over the years, which is a tremendous testament to the work of positional coaches like Dave Merritt and Emmitt Thomas. With the potential losses of Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, Joshua Williams, and others this offseason, there's plenty of room for young talent to develop in the secondary.
Rivers would give the Chiefs another potential contributor inside, along with Chamarri Conner, Kevin Knowles, or Trent McDuffie. While that seems like a strong overlap, the truth is that his experience, instincts, and talents make him an asset anyway.
Round 5 (176): Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
2025 stats: 57 catches, 620 yards, 4 touchdowns
Burks would add another smaller receiver to the WR room for the Chiefs, but it'd be hard to ignore someone with his traits late in the fifth round.
Injury issues will knock him down, since he's never had more than 629 yards in a single season despite three years at Purdue and another two seasons at Oklahoma. That said, Burks has been clocked at more than 22mph on the field and comes with a bit of return experience to go with the obvious speed and hands.
The Chiefs need to add someone to the mix at wideout to keep the pipeline moving forward with the continued unreliability of Rashee Rice (injury, character concerns). Jalen Royals is a complete unknown after redshirting his rookie year. Xavier Worthy is the only other WR guaranteed to be around after the 2026 season.
Round 7 (225): Bud Clark, S, TCU
2025 stats: 56 tackles, 4 INT, 7 pass deflections
Clark as a seventh-round pick would be a very nice find for Brett Veach, given his history as a ballhawk for the Horned Frogs. Clark is a lengthy safety prospect with 21 deflections and 15 interceptions in the last four seasons.
The Chiefs might lose Bryan Cook to free agency, but even if he is retained, there's a need for further depth and talent beyond Jaden Hicks and Chamarri Conner. Mike Edwards and Deon Bush have stuck around for multiple seasons because no younger player has been able to supplant them as reliable special teams performers.