The 2026 NFL Draft is only a little over three weeks away, and the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves with more early picks than at any other time in the Patrick Mahomes era. Not only does KC have a top-ten pick, but they have three picks in the top 40 and eight in the first five rounds of the draft. Simply put, they have a chance to restock their roster with a lot of young talent.
For this mock draft, there won't be any trades, instead focusing on prospects at each of KC's original draft slots that both fit what they like to target in players. While putting this mock together, I also consulted the Consensus Big Board and Pro Football Focus' Big Board to see both where the vast majority of experts and analytics think players will go. Yes, there are players that I would rather take at some of these pick slots, but this isn't a "dream scenario" mock.
Let's get to the picks.
1st round (No. 9 overall) - Caleb Downs - Safety - Ohio State
While I would love to see the Chiefs land Rueben Bain Jr. here, I just don't see him falling to the ninth pick, even with his short arms. Caleb Downs, on the other hand, currently sits at #9 on the Consensus Big Board and #8 on PFF's Big Board. So while I see edge as a bigger need than safety, I think the most important thing here is that the Chiefs come away with a clear elite player with their top-ten pick, and Caleb Downs easily checks that box.
You can make an argument that Downs is the most talented defensive player in this draft, but positional value could very likely have him falling to the Chiefs. Steve Spagnuolo would love getting Downs. He has the versatility to be a chess piece deployed all over the field since he can play the run and pass. We've seen Spags use guys like Tyrann Mathieu and Justin Reid as field generals on the back end of the defense with great success before, and Downs would be the most physically gifted person to play that role the moment he took the field for KC.
1st round (No. 29) - Blake Miller - Offensive Tackle - Clemson
Most Chiefs fans are tired of targeting offensive tackles, but it is still a major position of need. Yes, Josh Simmons looked great when he played as a rookie, but missing time for personal reasons and then getting injured means there are still questions about his reliability. Jaylon Moore could certainly start at right tackle this season, but they didn't like him enough to bench a struggling Jawaan Taylor last season. Plus, he's only under contract for this season, so there are still long-term questions.
I would have loved to target a Keldric Faulk or TJ Edwards here after missing out on Rueben Bain Jr., but I think they will both be off the board if KC stays at pick 29. Blake Miller is number 28 on the Consensus Big Board and 25 on the PFF Big Board, so there's a chance he isn't available either, but he's more likely than the defensive ends in this range. Miller is also a perfect fit for KC. He has the length, long arms, and athleticism that KC looks for. He needs his technique cleaned up, but he's a four-year starter with elite upside as a pass protector with some coaching.
2nd round (No. 40) - Gabe Jacas - Edge - Illinois
The Chiefs finally get their edge here at the top of round two. Gabe Jacas is a physical bully. He has fantastic power and consistently drives tackles back toward the quarterback. He has a non-stop motor and had 27 career sacks in college, including 11 last season. So why is a powerful edge with great sack production still available at pick 40? The answer is that Jacas only has average size (6'4" and 260 pounds) and doesn't have elite speed. That's why he's #52 on the Consensus Big Board and #51 on PFF's Big Board.
We know Steve Spagnuolo doesn't have a problem playing power over speed on the outside, and I think he would LOVE adding Jacas to a defensive front with Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, and Khyiris Tonga. It would give them one of the most physically powerful defensive fronts in the NFL. They may not be blazing around the edge, but the push and relentless compression of the pocket could really wear down opposing offensive lines. I know a lot of KC fans are dreaming of speed off the edge, but Jacas could help improve the pass rush while still fitting Spags' system and allowing KC to target other positions with their first two picks.
3rd round (No. 74) - Skyler Bell - Wide Receiver - Connecticut
There are probably several Chiefs fans out there who are disappointed that a wideout wasn't taken earlier in this mock and that the receiver taken isn't a big prototypical X-type. While the Chiefs adding a big outside receiver would also work, I think a lot of fans are overlooking KC's biggest problem at wide receiver: THEY DON'T GET OPEN. On way too many plays last year, Patrick Mahomes was frustrated because nobody was open. Adding an outside receiver that he has to force contested jump balls to doesn't fix that, but adding Skyler Bell does.
Skyler Bell is one of the most explosive wideouts in this draft class. He's one of the few wideouts who still ran agility drills instead of just doing jumps and running the 40-yard dash, so his 9.82 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) is much more impressive. At 6'0" and 192 pounds, he isn't too small and has the deep speed to win outside and the sudden change of direction to win in the slot. He is somehow just #81 on the Consensus Big Board, but #60 on PFF's Big Board. If he's still there at pick 74, he'd be a perfect pick for the Chiefs.
4th round (No. 109) - Tacario Davis - Cornerback - Washington
This one is an easy sell. The Chiefs lost Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason, so adding another cornerback makes a lot of sense. Tacario Davis is 6'4", has long arms and a massive wingspan, ran a 4.41 forty, and is willing to get physical against the run. He's available here because he doesn't always get the most out of his physical gifts in coverage. He's currently #114 on the Consensus Big Board and #123 on the PFF Big Board. So he's a big physical freak corner that needs development to hit his ceiling? Sounds like a perfect fit for Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt to me.
5th round (No. 148) - Joe Royer - Tight End - Cincinnati
This is another easy sell. The Chiefs need a developmental tight end with some upside to groom behind Travis Kelce this season. Who better to put in that role than a sure-handed prospect with a knack for finding holes in zone coverage from Kelce's alma mater.
Royer is currently #147 on the Consensus Big Board and #160 on PFF's Big Board. He's a willing and solid blocker despite being a little undersized at 6'5" and 247 pounds. He didn't drop a single pass in 2025 and, at the Combine, mentioned that he has Kelce's number and that he's been mentoring him already.
5th round (No. 169) - Devon Marshall - Cornerback - NC State
At this point, this is a pick based on who I think the Chiefs might feel is the most talented player available. That may seem strange given that Marshall is just #215 on the Consensus Big Board, but he is #151 on PFF's board. Marshall is only 5'10" and 197 pounds and doesn't have fantastic deep speed. That's why he isn't viewed as a top cornerback prospect.
However, Marshall is fiercely competitive. He's physical against the run despite his size and is an absolute menace in coverage. His 16 pass breakups last season were the most in the NCAA. The Chiefs have proven that they don't need guys to have elite measurables to find success in their system. The combination of adding two contrasting corners in Tacario Davis and Devon Marshall would really restock their CB room.
5th round (No. 176) - Eli Heidenreich - RB/FB/WR - Navy
This is an Andy Reid pick. Eli Heidenreich is a 6'0" and 198-pound Swiss Army knife offensive weapon out of Navy. NFL.com lists him as a running back. The Consensus Big Board has him listed as a wide receiver and #211 overall. PFF has him listed as a fullback and #196 overall. He ran a 4.44 forty-yard dash, has great hands catching the ball (only a 3% drop rate), and is a really solid blocker as well. He may not be a great every-down running back or slot receiver, but as an H-back/gadget player, he could give the Chiefs a lot of options. He may even make a great third-down back with his combination of pass-catching ability and physicality as a blocker.
6th round (No. 210) - Jack Kelly - Linebacker - BYU
The Chiefs close out the draft with another Andy Reid pick, taking linebacker Jack Kelly from his alma mater BYU. Kelly is really athletic and is viewed as one of the best blitzing linebackers in the class. He doesn't always disengage from blockers or read plays well enough to be highly drafted, but he would make a great special teams player and depth linebacker who could even occasionally be brought in as a blitzer in sub-packages. If the coaching staff were able to maximize his athletic profile, he could even be an absolute steal and turn into a starter down the line. Kelly is currently ranked #221 on the Consensus Big Board and #219 on the PFF Big Board.