Yes, we know that any mock draft is already a largely pointless exercise. As anyone who watched the Kansas City Chiefs' front office go to work harvesting a new rookie crop during the 2026 NFL Draft will attest, mock drafts only serve to get fans hooked on certain names in advance of seeing those same prospects go to other teams.
General manager Brett Veach just spent the last weekend undermining all of the expectations of Chiefs Kingdom by ignoring Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson so that he could trade up instead for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. And that wasn't the only surprise. Pretty much every pick came with some level of shock—all the way to the end with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the seventh and final round at No. 249 overall.
Still, there's an addiction at work with mock drafts in general, and the 2027 editions can still inform us in meaningful ways. The latest is out from The Athletic's Dane Brugler, and it's worth reading as a whole to not only prepare for the college football season ahead but to also get a read on how analysts might be viewing the Chiefs' chances after a disastrous 6-11 campaign.
Mock drafts are mostly pointless, but early 2027 editions can at least tell us something about the Chiefs.
The first noteworthy point in Brugler's 2027 mock draft is that the Chiefs have the No. 26 overall selection in this draft order. That's a sign that last year was viewed as a fluke for the most part, while hedging that K.C. is also not going to be crowned before the season as Super Bowl favorites after watching the team stumble out of the gate in 2025.
As for the prospect chosen, Brugler has the Chiefs going with LSU defensive back Ty Benefield, who has been a playmaker in the secondary for Boise State for the last three seasons, with 107 total tackles last season and 5 career interceptions. This year, his transfer to LSU provides him a chance to prove his mettle in SEC play.
Here's what Brugler had to say: "A Boise State transfer, Benefield is a tall, long defender who topped 100 tackles last season, while making plays both downhill and in reverse."
As for the pick from a team perspective, it would make sense for Kansas City to look heavily at safety going forward knowing how important the position is in the long run. Chamarri Conner will be scheduled to hit free agency, and it's wishful thinking to believe that Jaden Hicks will have broken out. Perhaps fourth-round pick Jadon Canady is taking reps at free safety instead of slot corner due to Kader Kohou's presence, but it's more likely that the Chiefs will need someone starting next to Alohi Gilman.
One other note: the Chiefs love their defensive backs from LSU (as they should). From Tyrann Mathieu's leadership and impact in Steve Spagnuolo's first few years to the trade up to grab Delane, it definitely doesn't hurt Benefield to have the jersey on this season.
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