We have finally made it to Thursday of NFL Draft weekend, the most exciting of the three days the Kansas City Chiefs will work to build this year’s rookie class.
The organization has selections No. 9 and No. 29 to weaponize in forming the best draft class possible. There are a lot of possibilities for Thursday evening, like trading up or trading down from either first-round position.
The current Arrowhead Pride draft team has had success calling its shot in recent draft cycles. In 2023, the staff collectively
predicted the Chiefs to select Kansas State edge defender Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the first round. For the 2024 draft, contributing editor Ron Kopp Jr. highlighted BYU offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy as way-too-early Chiefs draft predictions before their final collegiate seasons — then circled back to predict Worthy for Kansas City in the pre-draft edition of AP’s former newsletter:
Dart-throw prediction for Chiefs’ first-round pick: I have a feeling the Chiefs won’t get the
value to select left tackle, and will sit tight and choose a receiver. One stands out as having
Chiefs-like traits: Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. His game-breaking speed is paired with
legitimate route running that could be a souped-up version of what Mecole Hardman brought to
the team.
So let’s see if we can hit the mark for the 2026 NFL Draft. Here are predictions for this year’s first round from some of Arrowhead Pride’s staff:
Matt Stagner
All the panic about an offensive tackle or an unnecessary trade-up falls away as the board comes up beautifully for general manager Brett Veach. The Chiefs patiently wait until pick No. 9 and still get the guy the organization seems to want: Rueben Bain, Jr.
Then, the fun really begins: Veach works the phones to trade up from pick No. 29 to close to the 20th selection, targeting a legitimate pass catcher — but people still freak out because it’s Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
Rocky Magana
When the New York Jets select David Bailey from Texas Tech at pick No. 2, the Chiefs unsuccessfully try to trade up for Ohio State linebacker (or edge defender) Arvell Reese — but the asking price is too rich. As a result, the Chiefs stand pat at pick No. 9 and select Makai Lemon, wide receiver from USC.
Later in the first round, Kansas City looks to draft the best available player at a position of need. Veach finds that with the best defensive back on the board in cornerback Chris Johnson from San Diego State.
Jared Sapp
The depth of this draft is on the defensive side of the ball, and I think the Chiefs will take care of the offense on Thursday.
There has been some heavy buzz about Arizona State wideout Jordan Tyson to Kansas City, but I predict the team’s first pick will be Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who can be the true Y-tight end to complement Travis Kelce in his final season. Sadiq can complete the receiver alphabet, though, by also lining up at X and Z-wide receiver in certain formations.
I don’t think the Chiefs’ reported interest in offensive tackles has been a smokescreen. I see them coming out of Round 1 with a plug-and-play option at right tackle — even if it requires a small trade-up.
Bottom line: Chiefs agree to a slight trade down from pick No.9 to grab Sadiq, then move up from pick No. 29 to secure Arizona State right tackle Max Iheanachor.
Ron Kopp Jr.
Through all the smokescreens and cliches, I believed Brett Veach at his Combine press conference when he explained how difficult it is to “find” the worthwhile players at premium positions. He named defensive linemen as an example, but the “premium” tag extends to offensive tackles, wide receivers and cornerbacks, as well as quarterbacks. He made the point that they “don’t really become available in free agency.”
Veach backed up this logic by using free agency to strengthen the team’s non-premium positions, with running back Kenneth Walker III and safety Alohi Gilman. That sets up the premium positions as the team’s focus at the top of the draft.
Among the “premium” positions Veach could be eyeing at pick No. 9, cornerback is simply not treated that way by the organization. I think it’s safe to eliminate that as one of the possibilities with the first pick.
My prediction: the Chiefs invest in two of the remaining three premium positions of need with the two Day 1 selections. Two of these three will be picked by Kansas City on Day 1:
Defensive end Rueben Bain Jr.
Right tackle Blake Miller, Clemson
One of the many wide receivers projected to go on Day 1
