Technically, the Kansas City Chiefs are scheduled to wait for eight other NFL teams to make some of the single most impactful decisions in front of them this offseason before making their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. That said, we still basically know what they're doing.
At this point, it feels safe to say that they're going to be picking one of two positions, which narrows down the list of potential prospects going at No. 9 to just a few. Nothing outside of that really makes sense, no matter what other draft analysts are saying.
The Chiefs are on the clock twice in the first round, first at No. 9 overall and then again at No. 29. With that first pick, the Chiefs have a chance to select a true blue-chip talent for the first time since John Dorsey traded up with the Buffalo Bills to select Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 overall in 2017. And that means this pick is going to focus solely on premium positions.
Essentially, Chiefs Kingdom can expect either a wide receiver or an edge rusher to be the pick in the ninth slot. Miami pass rusher Reuben Bain Jr. is the name mentioned most in conjunction with the Chiefs, but it's also possible that fortune smiles on Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey as well. If the Chiefs lean wideout, the trio of names linked in the top tier are Ohio State's Carnell Tate, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, and USC's Makai Lemon.
Assessing the Chiefs' biggest needs and applying a bit of logic brings two positions into view at No. 9 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs badly need some help at both positions, and getting one at the top of a draft class is the best way to import one. Elite edge rushers rarely (if ever) hit the market in the first place, and the best options always command top dollar. The same can be said for receivers, and the costs are only going to continue to climb with each passing season.
The Chiefs have already released Mike Danna and watched Charles Omenihu and Malik Herring sign with other teams in free agency. That leaves George Karlaftis and Ashton Gillotte as the presumed starters (for now) with no proven depth behind them. Felix Anudike-Uzomah is returning from a season lost to injury. From there, names like Ethan Downs and Tyreke Smith dot the roster.
Wide receiver looks a little better, but only in the short term. Rashee Rice is coming into his last season, and it should be noted that tight end Travis Kelce could be done after this year as well. The only receivers on the roster for next season are Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Royals. It helps to have a rebuilt backfield anchored by Kenneth Walker III, but Patrick Mahomes needs a long-term alpha ASAP.
Draftniks will throw other positions into the mix, but the arguments don't hold water. Cornerback is a desperate need at the present time, but the Chiefs always turn water into wine with low-level investments on a yearly basis. Plus, Brett Veach did not trade Trent McDuffie only to use a premium pick on a potential replacement.
Even more absurd is the idea that Kansas City is leaning offensive tackle. Multiple mock drafters will insist that names like Spencer Fano or Francis Mauigoa are possibilities, but the Chiefs have a franchise left tackle in Josh Simmons on one side and the NFL's best interior in center Creed Humphrey and guards Trey Smith and Kingsley Suamataia. The Chiefs have so many other needs that it would feel silly for them to shore up the weakest link on an otherwise impressive line.
The Chiefs are going to sorting between two positions now that Walker is in the backfield. They no longer need a top-flight back, which takes Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love out of the equation. Most fans are looking at Bain or Tate. The specific players are less obvious, but the positions are clear at No. 9.