The mockfather has spoken.
Mel Kiper Jr. has turned in his fourth and final mock draft before the official one gets underway in late April, and he's surfaced with two full rounds of projections for the 2026 NFL Draft. Given that the Chiefs hold three of the top 40 picks, including two first-round selections, it's an interesting chance to see how Kiper is viewing Kansas City's overall approach to compiling a rookie class to rebound from a disastrous 2025 campaign.
Here's what Kiper has in his final predictions for the Chiefs draft class in 2026.
Round 1 - No. 9 overall - Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Mel says: "We can't ignore Tyson's durability concerns, considering he missed a third of his possible college games because of injuries, but we also can't ignore his fantastic skill set when he is on the field."
Tyson's pre-draft stock has been rather mercurial, with injury concerns becoming a major focal point and mock adjustments that dropped him out of the top 10 across most outlets. Now, however, there's some real smoke around Tyson and the Chiefs at No. 9 overall, signaling that perhaps K.C.'s. greatest desire is to continue the infusion of explosive talent on offense that began with the Kenneth Walker signing. Tyson might have the highest ceiling of any pass catcher in this draft class.
Round - No. 29 overall - Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Mel says: "This cornerback room is really hurting for talent. Hood is long and physical, and he had 17 pass breakups over the past two seasons."
The Chiefs drafted 5 defensive backs in 2022 and they should come close to that number this year, given the offseason departures. But Hood is a strong addition to anchor the cornerback room for the next half-decade, so the pick here makes a lot of sense. Many mock drafts feature a corner at No. 29 overall to help K.C. get over the losses of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. This feels obvious.
Round 2 - No. 40 overall - R. Mason Thomas, LB/DE, Oklahoma
Mel says: "The Chiefs' 35 sacks tied for seventh lowest in the NFL last season ... Thomas can pitch in here. He had 15.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss over the past two seasons."
Kiper is not wrong here. If the Chiefs somehow avoid any edge help in the first round, then landing someone atop the second is an obvious move. The Chiefs have replacement-level players in the bottom half of the depth chart, and it would be front-office malpractice if Brett Veach were depending on anything significant from Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Thomas, who is still only 21 years old, might not be the anchor across from Karlaftis that earlier prospects would be, but he would certainly bolster the pass rush as a player with proven ability to get upfield.
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