Chiefs draft pick projections: Ranking 5 best combinations for Kansas City's two Round 1 selections originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 offseason has looked a lot different than usual for the Kansas City Chiefs.
After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, Andy Reid's squad has been retooling, more focused on the future than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era. The star quarterback is rehabbing from ACL surgery, but with eyes on a bounce-back year in 2026, the Chiefs have added running back Kenneth Walker, brought back tight end Travis Kelce, landed defensive depth in Khyiris Tonga and Alohi Gilman, and parted ways with star cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The benefit of the McDuffie deal with the Los Angeles Rams, however, was adding a second-first round pick. Kansas City will be able to bring in two high-end prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft — and for a team with no glaring holes, but room to add at many positions, there are a lot of players the Chiefs could target at No. 9 and No. 29.
Here's a ranking of the five best scenarios for the Chiefs with their two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs are one of the more unpredictable teams in the 2026 NFL Draft. They have various needs — it would make some sense to add players at edge rusher, cornerback, safety, wide receiver, tight end or on the offensive line. So, a "best player available" approach may not hurt.
If that's the case, and Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is on the board at No. 9, it's hard to see the Chiefs passing, even with Bain's arm length concerns and recent reports of legal issues. He's is expected to bring a disruptive capability to the NFL and could thrive alongside a veteran like Chris Jone; defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo having Bain at his disposal would help lift a pass rush that needs a boost.
Given the fact that the Chiefs traded an All-Pro cornerback to land the No. 29 pick, it would make sense if they then used it on a cornerback. In that range, Tennessee's Colton Hood will likely be the best available, if he's not off the board. Hood plays at an elite speed and is viewed as a capable Day 1 starter, and he could slot in nicely as CB2 behind Kristian Fulton.
Defense wasn't a massive issue for the Chiefs last season, but especially with McDuffie gone and Jones being 31, they're lacking in young, impact players. Going all-out for defensive talent in the first round, especially with a duo like Bain and Hood, would be a strong start to the draft.
If the Chiefs grab a player with Bain's defensive potential at No. 9, then perhaps they feel comfortable shifting their focus to offense. Surprisingly, Kansas City has lacked juice at its skill positions in recent years — Travis Kelce's age, a lack of investment in the running back room, Rashee Rice's legal issues and a lack of depth behind him all were apparent in 2025.
The addition of Walker will help that, but so could drafting a first-round wide receiver. No player in the No. 29 range could provide a jolt quite like K.C. Concepcion, who has some of the best burst and separation of any receiver in the class and would provide Mahomes with a weapon who can create big plays.
Drops have been an issue for Concepcion in the past, but an environment like the one Reid has created in Kansas City should help address it. Alongside Rice and Xavier Worthy's speed, Kansas City would have dynamic receiver room for years to come.
KC Concepcion separation vs. zone, then re-engages as a downfield blocker https://t.co/aj3x0Du2Izpic.twitter.com/CRVYf8G32G
It appears likely that the Chiefs will go defense at No. 9. Bain has heavily been mocked to them in that slot, but so has LSU's Mansoor Delane, the consensus top cornerback in the draft.
After McDuffie's departure, the Chiefs would be getting a younger (and cheaper) potential star cornerback who made strong coverage look easy at Tennessee. Capable of making plays on the ball, moving with virtually any wide receiver or getting involved in the run game, Delane would become a focal point of Spagnouolo's secondary for years to come.
Once again, Concepcion is the projected No. 29 pick here, providing a balance of offense and defense for Kansas City. If he's no longer available, Washington receiver Denzel Boston would also make sense, but with a different skillset; Boston's size and ball skills would bring more of a red-zone threat for Mahomes.
MORE: Breaking down the 7 safest picks in the 2026 NFL Draft
Could the Chiefs go for a top-10 receiver? It feels unlike the franchise to pursue a wideout this high in a draft — they haven't even taken a receiver in the top-11 since Anthony Hancock in 1982, according to Pro Football Reference. But perhaps the front office is serious about giving Mahomes elite weapons as he begins to age and Kelce eventually retires.
If that's the case, this is a good draft to need a wide receiver. Especially if Bain and Delane are gone already, the Chiefs may be able to turn toward Carnell Tate, or more realistically, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. There have been injury concerns with Tyson, but when healthy, he's an explosive receiver who some have even pinned as the most talented in the class.
Tyson is the kind of player who can change games for the Chiefs, even as a rookie, and a pairing with Rice could certainly make for one of the NFL's best duos. The question is whether Kansas City feels comfortable with the positional value at No. 9.