The Kansas City Chiefs had a bad 2025 season. It wasn't just bad by the lofty standard they had set for themselves by going to seven straight AFC Championship Games, making five of the past six Super Bowls, and winning three of them. It was a bad season by any standard. The one plus side of a season like KC's 2025 campaign is that it comes with a higher draft pick, so the team can add a new talented player to help them rebound. For the Chiefs, that pick is the 9th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they desperately need to utilize it.
The Chiefs haven't had a chance to draft a top-ten talent since they traded up and took Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. They have been able to find some key contributors with their picks later in the first round, but this will be the first time they have a shot at a truly elite prospect in almost a decade. They simply can't waste that opportunity, especially if they want to return to competing for Super Bowls while Patrick Mahomes is still in his prime.
The argument here isn't that the Chiefs should only be targeting Love with the 9th pick. That would be foolish. First and foremost, Love may not even make it to the 9th pick, but if he does, he should be on KC's short list of players they should strongly consider. Ultimately, if they feel there is a player who is more talented and can make a bigger impact, that is fine, but the list of prospects you can say that about in this draft class is relatively short.
The biggest mistake the Chiefs could make is drafting 100 percent for positional value. Taking a player who is just good or solid at a more premium position over a truly special running back would be a waste of a top-ten pick. The Chiefs can get good or solid players at more premium positions later in the draft, but it is virtually impossible to get a true blue-chip prospect where KC typically drafts.
The Kansas City Chiefs would be foolish not to consider Jeremiyah Love if he's the best player available at No. 9 overall.
Now, if KC feels there is a truly elite and special player at a more premium position, that is different. For example, if the Chiefs truly believe that an edge prospect like David Bailey or Rueben Bain Jr. could be a Chris Jones–type impactful player for the next ten years, then taking them over Love becomes excusable. But if they see Bailey as a poor fit for Steve Spagnuolo's system and think Bain won't have quite as much pass-rush success in the NFL, then that's where Love should absolutely be on their board.
If you have read Price Carter's scouting report on Love, you know that he is an elite prospect who would be a perfect fit for the Chiefs. The team has taken the cheap approach at running back for too long, and it has finally caught up with them. They need a running back who can shoulder some of the load of the offense and keep defenses honest so Patrick Mahomes can have more freedom to make plays.
A common argument from Chiefs fans is that the team would be better served spending on a true number-one running back in free agency and using their top-ten pick on a “more important” position. While there is some logic in that, there is also risk. Will the Seahawks be willing to let Kenneth Walker leave after the key role he played in their Super Bowl run? If Walker stays in Seattle, suddenly all the teams that want a top running back are going to be in a bidding war for Breece Hall, which drives his price up. Now, Kansas City is paying top dollar for a non-premium position player who is four years older and has more wear and tear on his tires than Love.
There could be other options like Travis Etienne or Tyler Allgeier, but then you're not really getting an elite talent at the position. If the Chiefs were to add a Jahmyr Gibbs- or Bijan Robinson-type running back to this roster, it would dramatically change their offense. That is the type of player many scouts see Love as. Yes, his salary as the ninth pick would be higher than most rookie running backs, but you would pay that in a heartbeat for five prime years of a Gibbs or a Bijan.
The bottom line is that the Chiefs need to draft a foundational-type player with this high pick, especially if they don't want to select this high again anytime soon. They can take solid players at key positions later in the draft, especially if Brett Veach stays aggressive and is willing to trade up when guys he likes fall a little. This draft should be different. The Chiefs need a special player. If they find one at a premium position at pick nine, that's great. But if the only player on the board who they are 100 percent confident will be elite is Jeremiyah Love, then they should run to the podium and take him with no hesitation.