The 2026 NFL Draft represents a rare opportunity for the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire blue-chip talent. The constant trips to the AFC Championship have kept Kansas City out of the top 10 in every draft since 2017.
But the Chiefs’ draft capital goes beyond a top 10 selection. The quantity of selections in the top 50 is unlike any level of ammunition the franchise has had entering a draft in the last decade. In fact, the last time Kansas City selected three players in the top 50 of an individual draft was
2010, when the organization drafted safety Eric Berry, receiver Dexter McCluster and defensive back Javier Arenas.
The Chiefs currently possess the ninth, 29th and 40th overall selections. If general manager Brett Veach sits and picks, it would be the first time Kansas City has drafted three players from the top 40 since 2008, when the organization selected defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, offensive tackle Branden Albert and cornerback Brandon Flowers.
The 2008 draft also netted the great running back, Jamaal Charles. It was the kind of draft that could have served as the foundation of a franchise if the organization were in a better place.
Like now, the golden age of Chiefs football, the organization once again has the opportunity to add that kind of talent. It will be difficult to mess this up. It’s no coincidence the 2022 draft — the last time Kansas City had multiple first-round picks — served as the basis for the most successful three-year stretch in franchise history.
Can Brett Veach do it again?
His ability to play the board will be critical, and for my money, it’s one of Veach’s best skills as a general manager.
He’s had a keen ability to identify where pockets exist within the draft. This year’s running back class provides a good example of how an evaluator can look for pockets of talent: Teams looking for a starting running back will either have to target Jeremiyah Love early in the first round or his teammate Jadarian Price in the second.
Beyond that, there are several timeshare backs to be had in the third or fourth round. The lack of talent at the top of the draft undoubtedly influenced Veach’s decision to target Kenneth Walker III in free agency.
How could those pockets at other positions influence the Chiefs’ plans in the top 40? We can use the consensus board as our guide. For those unfamiliar, the consensus board is an aggregation of dozens of big boards and mock drafts to provide a projection for the NFL Draft that teams use to identify aforementioned pockets.
We all have our favorite targets for the Chiefs with the ninth overall pick, but it’s important to keep in mind how that pick interacts with who the Chiefs could select at 29 or 40. To see how this could work, let’s take a look at the pockets of talent available at each of the Chiefs’ top 40 selections to determine the best course of action.
Pocket of players at pick No. 9:
The odds appear stacked against any of Fernando Mendoza, Arvell Reese, Francis Mauigoa, Reuben Bain, Carnell Tate or Jeremiyah Love’s availability when the Chiefs are on the clock. Any of those could be possibilities, but for this exercise, let’s assume they’re off the board.
That leaves the following players as the primary options when the Chiefs are on the clock:
- EDGE – David Bailey (Texas Tech) & Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
- LB – Sonny Styles (Ohio State)
- Safety – Caleb Downs
- CB – Mansoor Delane (LSU) & Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)
- WR – Makai Lemon (USC) & Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
There are legitimate cases to take any of the above. Faulk would probably be the most unpopular selection, but I also view him as the most unlikely. Who would be the best selection here? Is it a bad answer to say “it depends” because that feels like the case? What can they do at 29? And 40? That could (and probably should) dictate the pick.
Pocket of players at pick No. 29:
- WR – Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), Denzel Boston (Washington) & Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M)
- EDGE – TJ Parker (Clemson), Cashius Howell (Texas A&M), Zion Young (Mizzou) & Malachi Lawrence (UCF)
- CB – Avieon Terrell (Clemson), Colton Hood (Tennessee) & Brandon Cisse (South Carolina)
- OT – Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) & Blake Miller (Clemson)
- DT – Peter Woods (Clemson) & Caleb Banks (Florida)
- Safety – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)
Okay, this is where things get interesting. That group of wide receivers isn’t overly exciting to me, given the Chiefs’ current options at the position. The defensive line options, on the other hand, fit exactly what the Chiefs are looking for (Howell notwithstanding). It’s also a good group of players in the secondary, and this is the first spot where I would even consider offensive tackle, though it’s still not a position I would advise selecting.
Pocket of players at pick No. 40:
- WR – Chris Bell (Louisville), Chris Brazzell (Tennessee), Germie Bernard (Alabama)
- EDGE – R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), Gabe Jacas (Illinois) & Derrick Moore (Michigan)
- CB – Chris Johnson (San Diego State), D’angelo Ponds (Indiana), Keionte Scott (Miami), Keith Abney II (Arizona State)
There’s a strong likelihood some of the options in the pocket at 29 will remain on the board at 40, but these are some strong alternatives. Once again, the wide receivers don’t do much for me, but I’m quite interested in the ass-kicker that is Jacas, and the cornerbacks remain quite appealing.
The takeaway
This is a draft that seems to be deeper with cornerback options than it might appear at the surface, especially for a team with as many premium selections as the Chiefs. Taking a cornerback in the top 10 would not be high on my priority list.
This also appears to be a draft ripe with defensive ends who fit Steve Spagnuolo’s “type” late in the first and early in the second round. I understand the appeal of Bain or Bailey, but I’m not sure I would pound the table for either as a top 10 selection, given the Chiefs’ vast list of needs and their individual limitations, either physically (Bain) or as run defenders (Bailey).
Suddenly, we’ve whittled down the Chiefs’ options to Styles, Downs and the wide receivers. The only reason I would consider Styles is that I think he’s a uniquely talented player, regardless of position. But do you really want to select a linebacker in the top 10? Especially in such a deep linebacker class? Maybe not. I love Downs, but safety is not at the top of the Chiefs’ needs, either.
The bottom line
In an ideal world, this would result in the Chiefs taking a wide receiver in the top 10. It’s the right pocket for the right talent. Tate, Lemon or Tyson would fit the bill, depending on which of the three remain on the board when the Chiefs are on the clock.
Veach could then take his pick of the top edge rushers on the board in the late 20’s, then pick off the top remaining player available with the 40th overall selection.
This is the benefit of seeking out pockets of talent in the draft. The draft is a crap shoot, so play the odds. Take the talent as it falls to you. Veach has been quite good at that in the past. His three top-40 selections are going to allow him to play the board in a way he’s never really been able to previously. It’s going to be fascinating to see how or if his evaluations differ from consensus.
The draft is less than a month away. Getting excited yet? Let us know which combination of players from each pocket you would prioritize!
