The Kansas City Chiefs just had their worst season since naming Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback, going 6-11 and ending the year on a six-game losing streak.

The team was nowhere near the pinnacle of excellence they had been years prior. Injuries and suspensions stacked up, franchise players started to regress and the season ended disappointingly.

There is a glimmer of hope, however — Kansas City enters the 2026 NFL Draft with the ninth pick. This marks the first time Kansas City has had a top-10 pick since drafting Mahomes 10th overall in 2017.

Here are some prospects the Chiefs could be eyeing with the ninth overall pick.

Jeremiyah Love

The first and most obvious pick is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. The Chiefs ranked 25th in rushing yards per game during the 2025 season. Their two options at running back, Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, were ranked 46th and 47th out of 49 tailbacks in explosive run percentage among running backs with 100 or more snaps.

Love is the antithesis of that — he had 39 runs of 10 or more yards last season. Pairing his explosiveness with the fact that he’s from Missouri makes this a match made in heaven. However, it isn’t the most realistic idea.

Kansas City already has n to decide whether or not to pay Hunt and Pacheco, who will both be free agents this offseason. Assuming one of the two is resigned, Kansas City will already be paying a lot of money to their running back room. With most backs selected in the top 10 having rookie deals around $25-30 million, it doesn’t financially make sense for Kansas City to put all their chips in the running back room when there are so many other positions of need on the roster.

Makai Lemon

Another option is University of Southern California receiver Makai Lemon. Going into the season, many could be surprised to see Kansas City looking to draft another receiver, and rightfully so. The promises of the Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy-led corps never fully lived up to their potential. With Worthy amidst a sophomore slump and Rice potentially on the verge of another big suspension following domestic violence allegations and a civil lawsuit filing, it makes sense for Kansas City to search for a wide receiver one.

The Chiefs are a team that lacks explosiveness. They are currently living off of checkdowns, short gains and jet sweeps. Lemon adds a new element to this offense — he’s lightning-quick with great ball skills, good footwork and can provide value in the slot or downfield.

David Bailey

The Chiefs’ defense has taken a few steps back since their last Super Bowl appearance. With regression from franchise cornerstones like Chris Jones, it makes sense for Kansas City to try to snag somebody on that side of the ball. The first thought is David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Kansas City ranked 19th in sack percentage and 15th in opposing expected points added (EPA) per pass.

Bailey has a great get-off paired with high-end footwork and hands that will fit right in with any defensive line. Pairing him alongside George Karlaftis is bound to cause opposing offenses trouble. Bailey is a versatile linebacker who would slot in perfectly to a Kansas City defense that already has stable foundational pieces.

Whoever Kansas City chooses could be a huge step in the right direction — this is still the same team that won 15 games just two seasons ago, and after adding a top-10 pick, the Chiefs could find themselves playing in January again.

 

Edited by Killian Wright | [email protected]
Copy edited by Hannah Halterman & Avery Copeland | [email protected] & [email protected]
Edited by Chase Pray | [email protected]