The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of directions they could go in with the ninth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. One direction that people have linked them to going in is targeting a wide receiver and fans probably wouldn't be mad about that.
It's safe to say that the trio of Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, and Xavier Worthy didn't pan out, so if the Chiefs added a new wideout, people would be happy. One name that K.C. was linked to in a recent mock draft was Ohio State's Carnell Tate. The Athletic put together their latest mock draft and Jesse Newell, who made Kansas City's pick, said Tate is "a good fit" for the Chiefs.
"A sneaky need for the Chiefs is at receiver, where they have only two players under contract beyond 2026 (Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals). This draft fell in a positive way, then, with Tate the first receiver off the board. He’s a good team fit, as well. The Chiefs typically target run-after-catch guys, but too often last year, they were in need of an outside receiver who could create route separation and be a contested-catch option. Tate — he most often draws George Pickens comps from draft analysts — would be a welcome addition for new receivers coach Chad O’Shea, while also giving Patrick Mahomes a QB-friendly option for years to come."
Chiefs select Carnell Tate in recent mock draft
A lot of mock drafts have had the Chiefs taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love but he went one pick earlier to the Saints, leaving the door open for K.C. to snag Tate here. The Buckeye product finished the 2025 season with 51 catches for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns and would add juice to this Chiefs receiver corp that lacked juice last year.
With the addition of Tate, the Chiefs could officially part with Rice, who has been an off-the-field distraction for this team. They need to operate as if Rice won't be on the team and Tate would help them do just that.
With Mahomes coming off a major injury, giving him any sort of help offensively is a big win for the Chiefs. Tate would be a huge get for Kansas City in the first round and, hopefully, the wide receiver position could be an area of strength once again for this team.