It’s less than two weeks until the NFL Scouting Combine, when the Kansas City Chiefs will be gathering intel for the upcoming NFL Draft.
So which players and positions might make sense when April 23-25’s festivities finally get here?
It’s time for a Chiefs mock draft 1.0, even while knowing a whole lot is going to change in the next few months. Most notably, the Chiefs will need to clear up their cap situation and also get some shopping done in free agency, while likely landing a potential starting running back sometime in March.
The draft, though, provides a rare luxury for the Chiefs this year after a disappointing 6-11 season, as they’ll have a top-1o pick for the first time since 2017 (when they traded up to take quarterback Patrick Mahomes).
For this exercise, I fired up Pro Football Focus’ Mock Draft Simulator and selected the player I would take from the available choices.
Here’s how it played out for each of the Chiefs’ six selections — while not including potential compensatory picks they could still earn:
Round 1, No. 9: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Also considered: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson, Clemson DT Peter Woods, Auburn Edge Keldric Faulk
This version of the mock draft didn’t fall well for the Chiefs, with two defensive linemen (David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr.) and two wideouts (Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon) going off the board in the first eight picks.
And it’s this sort of scenario that illustrates why general manager Brett Veach prefers to cover all his base needs in free agency so he can feel free to pivot when the draft moves unpredictably.
To be clear: I think the Chiefs most need first-round draft help at defensive line and receiver. For that reason, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (12th on our Dane Brugler’s top 100 prospects list) would be another tempting player at this spot.
However, I don’t know how Veach could turn down Mauigoa if he slipped to No. 9, especially given how his addition would affect the Chiefs’ long-term vision.
K.C. appears to have four of its offensive line spots secure for years to come with left tackle Josh Simmons, left guard Kingsley Suamataia, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith. The first two are young players on their rookie contracts, while the latter two just signed long-term extensions.
Free-agent signing Jaylon Moore certainly would work as a stopgap option at right tackle this year following the expected release of Jawaan Taylor, but … what if the Chiefs could lock up that spot with the top tackle prospect in the 2026 draft instead?
Per GrindingTheMocks’ data, Mauigoa has an expected draft position of 6.1 based on current mocks. Brugler ranked Mauigoa as his 11th-best prospect, saying the 6-foot-6, 325-pound Mauigoa “plays with a relaxed feel in space to mirror and put rushers in a vise.”
Veach, to his credit, has always put proper value on premium positions with his early picks, understanding a team like the Chiefs must target players who aren’t readily available in free agency.
Getting a right tackle for now and the future (Mauigoa played right tackle at Miami) certainly would fit that criteria. Though it might not be the top position the Chiefs would want to target with their first pick, the team’s roster flexibility would allow a quick change of course if things fell this way.
Missouri edge rusher Zion Young’s stock is on the rise. Could he stay in state to help shore up the Chiefs’ defensive line? (Denny Medley / Imagn Images)
Round 2, No. 40: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
Also considered: Louisville WR Chris Bell, Illinois Edge Gabe Jacas
It seemed like the entire season, the Chiefs defense was one pass rusher short while too often failing to get off the field on critical third downs.
In this scenario, K.C. gets help in that area from a local player: Mizzou’s Zion Young, whose stock has been rising in recent weeks.
The Chiefs reportedly met with Young at the Senior Bowl. Brugler ranks him as the draft’s 39th-best prospect, saying he’s not a finished product yet but is “long, strong and determined with the hand usage to force his way through blockers.”
There was at least some thought of grabbing a receiver here, but Louisville’s Chris Bell is coming off an ACL injury, which would potentially limit his 2026 impact. Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas is an option, too, though Brugler rates him (57th) lower than Young.
The Chiefs should have plenty of evaluation on the local kid, and he’d make sense to secure at this spot in the second round.
Round 3, No. 74: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
Also considered: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson, Washington RB Jonah Coleman
The Chiefs need a big X-type receiver on the outside, and in this scenario, they’d get one in the third round with the 6-4, 222-pound Fields.
Brugler ranks Fields as his 49th-best player, saying he is a “big, athletic target” and “cut from the Michael Pittman Jr. mold, with build-up speed and a go-get-it gear when the ball is in the air.”
Though it was in consideration to take a running back here — they can’t go two consecutive drafts without addressing that spot in the earlier rounds — Fields’ combination of fit and value is too good to pass up at this point.
Round 4, No. 109: Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
Also considered: Texas CB Malik Muhammad, Stanford TE Sam Roush
Singleton seems to be a polarizing prospect with good physical traits. If the Chiefs sign a running back in free agency as expected, Singleton would provide a strong second option there while giving the team some speed and explosive ability that the backfield lacked last season.
Round 5, No. 146: Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
Also considered: Texas Tech WR Reggie Virgil
Joe Royer ranks as a top-three tight end in some draft rankings. If Travis Kelce does return for a final NFL season, you’d think he’d be plenty motivated to pass on his knowledge to a fellow Cincinnati Bearcats tight end.
Round 5, No. 176: DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson
Also considered: Texas DT Cole Brevard
This is much later than I’d want to select another defensive tackle if I were the Chiefs, but you also can’t control how the draft falls. Capehart’s potential as a run-stopping interior player still fits well with their needs at this spot, while also allowing them to get younger at a position where they’ve been cycling through veterans for too long.