Chiefs’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup after NFL Combine

The Chiefs kicked off this part of the offseason by keeping two familiar players in place. Kansas City officially announced Travis Kelce’s return for a 14th season after weeks of retirement rumors, and the team also re-signed Tyquan Thornton to a two-year deal worth $11 million after he provided some real speed and useful production in 2025.

Both of those decisions are what make the Chiefs an interesting team to watch after the combine. Sitting at No. 9 puts them in a unique position for a roster with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.

It’s high enough to dream about genuine difference-makers, but not so high that every choice is obvious.

After the workouts in Indianapolis, the mock draft discussions around Kansas City became more focused, and they need to reinforce some positions: a pass catcher, a reliable receiver, and a defensive front. We are going to discuss them right now.

WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com

Bucky Brooks suggests Carnell Tate to Kansas City, which is probably the easiest receiver projection to understand without overcomplicating things for the Chiefs. Brooks’ point is that Tate could add a new dimension to the passing game as a big-play threat, with enough speed and explosiveness to create mismatches on the outside.

That’s straightforward, but it makes sense because Kansas City still lacks enough receivers who can win routes cleanly and force defenses to make tough choices outside the numbers.

Thornton’s return helps, but it doesn’t fully solve the issue, and he adds continuity and vertical speed, but Tate would bring something different.

He’s the type of receiver who can make the passing game less dependent on Mahomes turning broken plays into big plays. When a quarterback has a receiver who can beat man coverage with timing, body control, and strong hands, the entire offense gains confidence.

That’s especially important for them, as last year the team looked too reliant on Kelce’s instincts and Mahomes’ creativity to make tough catches.

There’s another reason Tate fits well in this range. The Chiefs are looking for someone who can execute the route concepts as planned.

It might seem basic, but that’s often what separates a comfortable, consistent offense from one that’s constantly improvising.

If they want to make their passing game more efficient without waiting for a blockbuster move, Tate is a solid first-round pick to help do that.

OT Spencer Fano, Utah

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

Ryan Wilson’s pick is Utah tackle Spencer Fano, addressing a key but less glamorous need. Wilson sums up that the Chiefs could come out of this draft with two young tackles to help solidify their offensive line.

That might not sound exciting, but it’s directly tied to what many around the league see as the team’s main issue. Mahomes can hide some problems, but he shouldn’t have to.

Fano stands out because he looks like a player who can contribute in practical ways. He played both tackle positions at Utah, tested very well, and possesses the movement skills that matter in a Chiefs offense built on rhythm, spacing, and a quarterback who likes to extend plays without always needing to scramble.

When the tackle position is unstable, everything else gets disrupted: route timing changes, the pocket feels more rushed, and Reid has to call plays around the pressure instead of through it.

What appeals about this pick is that it treats Kansas City as a team still focused on keeping the offense smooth, rather than just adding speed and hoping for the best.

Kelce’s return adds stability in the middle of the field, and a tackle like Fano would bring more calmness on the edges.

This combination is great for a roster aiming to contend deep. It might not be the flashiest choice, but it’s the smart one, especially as the weather worsens and the games tighten.

DT Caleb Banks, Florida

Trevor Sikkema, PFF

Trevor Sikkema sends Caleb Banks to Kansas City, and this is the projection that reminds you the Chiefs do not have to draft offense just because offense is easier to talk about.

In the roundup, Sikkema’s key point is that Banks has been one of the big risers of the process after being limited during the season by a foot injury, and that his size and athletic ability make him a real top-15 conversation player.

The thing is that he could be very hard to stop next to Chris Jones.

The best way to make an elite interior defender even more dangerous is to stop making him the only interior problem an offense has to fear.

Banks would not arrive in Kansas City needing to be the face of the front, but he would arrive as a player that offenses cannot casually overlook if the physical tools turn into full-time production.

There is a tendency in mock-draft season to treat defensive tackle as optional unless a team has an obvious hole there, and that is usually too narrow.

Sometimes a front gets meaningfully better just by adding one more player who can collapse the inside of the pocket, and the Chiefs already know how valuable that is.

If Banks is on the board and Kansas City believes the line can still be addressed later or through other routes, this would not feel like a luxury pick. It would feel like a contender deciding that disruptive talent is disruptive talent.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Tim Crean, ClutchPoints

Tim Crean goes in a much different direction and gives Kansas City Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

He says this is a pick that is “trying to manifest,” because Mahomes has not had a truly dynamic run game since Kareem Hunt’s rookie season, and coming off his knee injury, he needs one now more than ever.

Crean points to Love’s combine showing, a 4.36 forty at 212 pounds, as proof that the player is just as explosive on paper as he is on Saturdays.

This is the boldest projection in the bunch, but it is not basic at all. Kansas City has spent years building an offense that can survive without a dominant backfield presence because the actual roster could cover for so much.

That does not mean the ideal offense should keep asking them to, but a back like Love changes the geometry of the unit because he forces linebackers to honor the run faster.

That aligns with the current Kansas roster, and that’s a much better place to draft from than most teams are in.

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