KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – The Kansas City Chiefs are in an unfamiliar position. For the first time under general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid, the Chiefs will pick in the top 10 of the NFL Draft with a pick they didn’t trade for.
With six consecutive losses to end a 6-11 season, Kansas City has the 9th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s the highest spot in the draft the Chiefs have ever been slotted into during the Andy Reid era and will be the first time that Veach has selected in the top 10. The last time Kansas City selected in the top 10 the franchise made an organization-altering decision to trade with the Buffalo Bills to get the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and select quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
What Kansas City does now with the 9th overall selection could determine what the next decade of the Mahomes era looks like for the Chiefs.
Kansas City picking in the top 10 in the first round also means the Chiefs’ second-round selection will be in the neighborhood of where the organization usually picks near the end of the first round.
The Chiefs tied at 6-11 with the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals, which means the three teams will rotate the order in which they select for the ensuing rounds after the first round.
Chiefs first-round pick history under GM Brett Veach
YearDrafted PlayerOverall SelectionHow the pick was acquired2025OT Josh Simmons32ndTrade down from 31st overall2024WR Xavier Worthy28thTrade up from 32nd overall2023DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah31stChiefs’ first-round pick2022CB Trent McDuffie21stPick acquired in Tyreek Hill trade with Miami Dolphins2022DE George Karlaftis30thChiefs’ first-round pick2020RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire32ndChiefs-first round pick
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Kansas City owns its own pick in Rounds 1-5, as well as a fifth-round compensatory pick.
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