Six Chiefs edge targets at every tier of the 2026 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and with the combine just around the corner, we have only two months until prospects walk across the stage in Pittsburgh. This year, the Chiefs are picking much higher than many fans will be accustomed to, selecting in the top 10 for the first time since 2017 when they took Patrick Mahomes, and picking in the top nine for the first time since taking Eric Fisher first overall in 2013. Being in this premium position often means they will look to add a premium position, and there is no doubt that defensive end will be near the top of that list.

Defensive ends are immensely valuable in the NFL, and when you break it down by starters, EDGE is the second-highest-paid position group in the league. This makes adding quality defensive ends through the draft incredibly important and valuable. This offseason, the Chiefs will be looking to add EDGE help, as they will likely lose Charles Omenihu to free agency and Mike Danna, who is widely seen as a potential cap casualty. This would leave them with George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, and Ashton Gillotte as the primary EDGE players on the roster heading into free agency.

Reliable edge rushers are essential in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, and the Chiefs will be looking for players they can put in the five-tech role who can consistently set the edge and impact the game. The Chiefs have two first-round picks in their DE room already, and Ashton Gillotte really came on at the end of the year. Yet as we have seen in years past, a team can never have too many defensive linemen.

General manager Brett Veach will surely look to add a defensive end in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here is a look at six guys who make sense for the Chiefs at various points.

The First Round Option: Rueben Bain Jr.

The most dominant DE in college football this season was, hands down, Rueben Bain Jr., who was a living nightmare for offensive tackles across the nation. When you look at his stat sheet, many may wonder why a player who has never had a 10-plus-sack season is being considered in the top 10, but his film is eye-popping, and his dominant physical skills will be very enticing to the Chiefs’ staff if he is available for them at nine. Bain Jr. has been my top DE throughout the entire draft process, and I do not see a world in which that changes before draft day.

Some scouts have concerns about Bain Jr.’s arm length, which could cause him to slip on draft day. If he is on the board for the Chiefs at nine, he will almost certainly be one of the top names under consideration.

The Second Round Steal: Akheem Mesidor

After a look at Bain, it makes sense to shift to his teammate, Akheem Mesidor, who just had the best year of his career with 12.5 sacks in '25. Miami's defensive line was an unstoppable force this season, and no one was able to contain the duo of powerful edge rushers that headlined the Hurricanes’ defense. Many people have even argued that Mesidor had a better season than his counterpart, Bain, and several analysts believe he will be a first-round pick this offseason.

It is very likely Mesidor will be in my top 50 when we get to draft day, and the Chiefs feel like a great fit for him and his skill set. Athletically, Mesidor is exactly what you look for from an even-front DE, and his blend of impressive power, finesse, and burst off the line will catch your eye immediately when watching the Miami defense. He has the frame to play in a Chiefs-style defense and feels like he will have a lot of success as an early-down player in an even front.

The biggest gripe about Mesidor is his age—he will be 25 on draft day. But the Chiefs are looking to win now, and if they think he can make an immediate impact, they may pull the trigger on Mesidor on day three.

The Day Two Scheme Fit: Gabe Jacas

Coming into this season, I had Jacas marked as one of the most underrated players in the 2026 NFL Draft, and that feeling still holds true today. This is a guy who is well known for his athleticism, dominating NFL-level talent across the Big Ten, and for racking up 11 sacks this season with Illinois. This season’s performance only verified what I knew about Jacas in the preseason, and his dominant performance at the Senior Bowl helped him solidify himself as a top DE in the 2026 class.

This offseason, Jacas officially weighed in around 260 pounds, but he slimmed down some for the Senior Bowl, and I think his playing weight is closer to 270. Regardless, he carries his size well and explodes off the line of scrimmage with great speed, which he consistently turns into power with a dominant bull rush that put several Big Ten tackles on the ground by the end of the play. He is a great fit in the Chiefs’ defense and could hear his name called at pick 40 or 74 in this year’s class.

The Third Round Sleeper: Nadame Tucker

When I release the “my guys” list for this year’s NFL Draft, it is a near certainty that Nadame Tucker’s name will be the headliner following a season in which he led the nation in sacks and proved himself to be one of the best pass rushers in this year’s draft class. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, Tucker brings the frame and athleticism to play in any NFL scheme, and I have him graded as a top-five DE in this year’s class. His wide range of pass-rush moves and athletic skills would bring much-needed “juice” to Kansas City's defense.

There are plenty of questions surrounding Tucker, the most glaring of which is that he had never logged a sack prior to this season. In his three years with Houston, Tucker struggled to find the field, but after his transfer to Western Michigan, he was one of the most dominant pass rushers in the nation. It's safe to say Houston regrets letting him leave the facility. Teams will have questions about his ability to succeed against a much higher level of competition, but Tucker looked great at the Senior Bowl, and I have yet to see evidence that he cannot play with the best of the best.

The Day Three Sleeper: Malachi Lawrence

Coming out of UCF, Lawrence is another small-school sleeper the Chiefs will need to keep an eye on. If he makes it out of day two, he could be a steal in the fourth or fifth rounds of the draft. I currently have Lawrence graded as a top-10 edge in this year’s class, and I think he has all the skills to be a great player in the NFL. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Lawrence may be a little lighter than the typical Steve Spagnuolo defensive end, but there is room for him to add muscle, and I think he has more than enough athletic ability to set the edge in the NFL.

Unlike Tucker, Lawrence did not light up the stat sheet with sacks, finishing with seven this season and just 20 in his four-year college career. But on film, Lawrence was able to get off the edge quickly and often generated pressure and disrupted the pocket from the outside. He was a steady run defender and excelled at setting the edge and keeping plays between the tackles. This is exactly what the Chiefs have historically looked for from DEs, and Lawrence could be a great depth piece for the Chiefs to grab if he is available on day three.

The Day Three Safety Net: Aidan Hubbard

There is no such thing as a “safe pick” in the NFL Draft, especially when you get into the third round, but if anyone were to earn that title in this year’s DE class, it is probably Aidan Hubbard from LSU. At Northwestern, whenever you hear people talk about what Hubbard brought to the team, two words often come up: reliability and consistency. Hubbard is not, and will not be, the type of player who physically overpowers a tackle or blows past them with explosiveness. Rather, he uses his strength and length to contain the edge and prevent out-of-structure plays.

If there is one thing the Chiefs’ defense needs, it is consistency. Last year, it almost always felt as if opposing teams were behind the sticks on second or third-and-long, but a scramble-drill play or a run bounced to the outside killed them for 10-plus yards, reviving the drive for opposing offenses. This is what Hubbard does best: holding his spot, wrapping up in the run game, and playing his gap. If the Chiefs do not find the opportunity to take a DE early in the draft, Hubbard would be a great budget option late in the draft to bring some depth and consistency to the roster.