Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach and his staff officially know where they’ll pick in the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL regular season. With a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18 and no playoffs for the team this year, their picks in the first three rounds of the draft are now set. That can all change if they trade up, down, or out of those selections ahead of or on draft day in April.
There are some critical draft items to keep in mind for Kansas City. The Chiefs do not own their sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which transferred to the New England Patriotsas part of the Josh Uche trade in 2024. One thing that is currently unknown is whether or not they own their seventh-round draft pick. My understanding is that the pick did not meet the conditions for transfer to the Dallas Cowboysin the Peyton Hendershot trade because of Kansas City releasing Hendershot. For this story, we’ll hang onto that draft pick until the NFL clarifies that point.
Another important note: the NFL has not yet awarded compensatory picks for the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chiefs are projected to receive a fifth-round compensatory selection for the loss of DT Tershawn Wharton to the Carolina Panthers in 2025 free agency. We’re going to list that pick below for the sake of it, even though it’s not official yet.
All picks after Round 3 won’t have official pick numbers until the league awards compensatory picks in early March. The remaining teams in the NFL playoffs will earn first-round selections ranging from 19 to 32, depending on their postseason finish.
Chiefs’ 2026 NFL draft picks as of Jan. 4
Round 5 (projected compensatory pick for loss of Tershawn Wharton)
Advertisement
Current Facts and Stats for the 2026 NFL Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft is the 91st annual event.
It’ll be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23–25, 2026.
The Dolphins lead all NFL teams with five draft picks inside the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs’ first-round draft pick will be the highest selection by Kansas City since the team traded up to select QB Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft. The last time they had a first-round pick in the top 10 was when they selected Eric Fisher at No. 1 overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. They’ve never in the history of the franchise chosen a player at No. 9 overall. This will mark the second consecutive season with three picks within the top-75.
If the Chiefs keep all of their projected picks without trading away or acquiring any, this could mark the third consecutive draft in which Brett Veach selects seven total players.
This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Jan 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.