If you've been paying close attention to mock drafts lately, a scenario is continually unfolding (or not) that reveals why Brett Veach might look plenty nervous on the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs has one of the most important weekends of his career when the draft arrives. The Chiefs' bounty of picks is impressive in quality and quantity, with nine total selections and four in the top 75 overall. None of those are more important than the No. 9 overall selection.
The greatest intersections of positional value, player talent, and team need are found at wide receiver and edge rusher for K.C. To that end, however, the No. 9 pick is potentially just out of reach for one of the draft's true blue-chip prospects to fall, which is why Veach might be sweating it out on the opening night.
Mock drafts show just how easy it is for the Chiefs to look at second-tier prospects at those respective positions at No. 9 if the teams in front of them decide against addressing offensive tackle or running back.
Brett Veach will be sweating as he watches what teams picking before the Chiefs leave for him on the first night of the draft.
If teams like the Cleveland Browns or Arizona Cardinals decide against taking linemen like Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Spencer Fano (Utah) or Monroe Freeling (Georgia) off the board, or if the Tennessee Titans let Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love slide on by, then preferred prospects won't fall to K.C. That list includes edge rushers like Texas Tech's David Bailey or Miami's Rueben Bain Jr., and wide receiver Carnell Tate from Ohio State.
The latest mock from The Athletic's cadre of beat writers give Bain to the Chiefs at No. 9 in their latest group mock, but Jesse Newell even admits, "The draft board fell perfectly for the Chiefs here with two offensive linemen going early." Other mock drafts force the Chiefs to go to non-premium positions to at least land an impact talent, like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Either way, the Chiefs are going to land a nice player at No. 9, but what's important for an annually cash-strapped team like Kansas City is to land someone who is cost-controlled with an elite ceiling at a typically expensive position. The going rate for top-tier wideouts and edge rushers is outrageous on the open market—that is, if they even make it there.
Hopefully the teams in front of the Chiefs will be attracted to prospects that Kansas City doesn't need. If so, Veach won't have to pay to move up in the draft order to get the value he needs most.