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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
The Kansas City Chiefs may have a long-term wide receiver problem after the latest Rashee Rice news this offseason, and general manager Brett Veach could once again choose to address it in round one of the NFL draft.
Rice was publicly accused of domestic violence by ex-girlfriend Dacoda Nichole in early January. To be clear, Rice has not been arrested or charged, but his off-field history remains a cause for concern, and the NFL has stated it will investigate and review Nichole’s claims.
Furthermore, if an investigation were to find any evidence of wrongdoing, the NFL could come down hard on Rice, since he has already been suspended once for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after pleading guilty to two felony charges related to a 2024 high-speed crash that left civilians injured.
Going one step further at the position, first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy has dealt with injury issues at the NFL level, and Kansas City has several impending free agents that must either be re-signed or replaced. So, the wide receiver position is far from settled, to put it mildly.
With that in mind, NFL draft expert Todd McShay has the Chiefs selecting a very talented wide receiver at No. 9 overall during his second official mock draft of 2026. That rising playmaker is Ohio State star Carnell Tate.
“The two guys I think the Chiefs could be targeting with this pick—[Jeremiyah] Love and [Rueben] Bain—are gone in this exercise,” McShay first acknowledged.
Continuing: “Quarterback Patrick Mahomes needs a steady and reliable WR right now, and Tate is the most NFL-ready one this class has to offer. Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, or Denzel Boston could also be the pick here, depending on how much helium each guy gets throughout the predraft process.”
Carnell Tate Would Give the Chiefs Multiple Legitimate No. 1 Options if Rashee Rice Stays on the Field
GettyTodd McShay mocked Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rice has had availability issues since being drafted, but his talent is undeniable. Similarly, Worthy’s small frame has led to durability problems.
Having said that, if the Chiefs were to add Tate in the NFL draft, it’d be fair to say that KC would have three legitimate No. 1 wide receivers in terms of raw ability.
Of course, Tate would have to translate his college game to the NFL level. Rice would have to keep his personal life drama-free. And Worthy would have to find ways to stay healthy.
But the trio would give head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes a ton of talent to work with as this team prepares for a future without superstar tight end Travis Kelce — who is expected to retire either in 2026 or 2027.
At Ohio State, Tate racked up 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns over a three-year span. His route-running is crisp and clean, and his 6-foot-3 frame gives him the size needed to succeed in the pros.
Tate played in a crowded Ohio State offense, but he improved throughout his college career. During his final campaign in 2025, the youngster caught 51 passes for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns, which was his most impactful season with the Buckeyes.
What’s the Latest Rashee Rice News for Chiefs?
Rice’s latest off-field situation hasn’t had many updates over the past couple of weeks.
After Nichole’s initial social media post (which was since deleted) and the statements from the NFL and the Chiefs, TMZ managed to track down Rice at the airport on January 28.
However, the star wideout exercised his right to remain silent and did not answer a single question that TMZ asked.
“EXCLUSIVE: Rashee Rice has yet to address abuse allegations made by his ex-girlfriend, Dacoda [Nichole] Jones, earlier this month … and that remained the case when we directly asked him about them at LAX on Tuesday,” TMZ Sports posted at the time.
They also included a video taken by their on-scene reporter, who questioned Rice throughout.
Rice has not made an official statement as of February 11, and it remains to be seen what will come of Nichole’s claims.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL as an Associate Editor for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the NFL breaking news operation, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
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