Chiefs make ‘home run’ pick in most important draft since blockbuster trade for Patrick Mahomes

Apr 19, 2026 - 12:00

The most important NFL draft for the Chiefs in nearly a decade is almost here.

Thanks to Andy Reid‘s Kansas City dynasty, a team with three Super Bowl trophies since a franchise-changing draft in 2017 has regularly made its initial selection near the end of the first round.

Rueben Bain could be a perfect fit with the Chiefs and the No. 9 NFL Draft pick

What will Chiefs do with rare No. 9 draft pick?

Josh Simmons was the Chiefs’ first-round pick at No. 32 last year, while Xavier Worthy (No. 28), Felix Anudike-Uzomah (No. 31) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (No. 32) have all been added to Big Red’s roster with late first-round selections.

That all changes in 2026.

Thanks to a horrible ’25 campaign, which saw Mahomes suffer season-ending ACL and LCL injuries, a team that went 6-11 has been rewarded with the No. 9 overall pick on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid has a few talented names slotted for the Chiefs — and one could be a huge first-round steal.

“It comes down to three players, honestly,” Jordan Reid exclusively told talkSPORT.

“Rueben Bain Jr., the defensive end out of Miami, I think he would be a home run pick for them if he’s there.

“He really has a lot of those traits that (Chiefs defensive coordinator) Steve Spagnuolo has looked for in his defensive ends that he’s drafted or really catered towards in years past.

“He has that dense build, really powerful — a lot of upside as a pass rusher. But you know from right away he’s going to be an NFL-ready run defender. So Rueben Bain definitely will be one.”

Defensive rookie can help Mahomes in 2026

The biggest steal for the Chiefs, though, would be an Ohio State star who’s been praised as one of the most intelligent football players in the draft.

“Caleb Downs, a safety out of Ohio State … he would be another pick potentially there at 9,” Jordan Reid said.

This is the Chiefs' most important draft since a blockbuster trade up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017 — This is the Chiefs’ most important draft since a blockbuster trade up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017

Ohio State's Caleb Downs is a rare talent and was praised by ESPN for his football IQ — Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is a rare talent and was praised by ESPN for his football IQ

The ESPN draft analyst added: “Everybody says, ‘I know you don’t take a safety high.’ But what really puts him into that tier of some of the elite players that we have seen come out in the past few years at that position is just his intelligence. I have never graded a safety that’s as smart as Caleb Downs.”

Jeremiyah Love could be the best talent in the 2026 draft, while Ty Simpson might get overdrafted, and the Cleveland Browns have been predicted to take an Ohio State offensive star to give Shedeur Sanders’ starting role a huge boost.

Jordan Reid’s final option for the Chiefs at No. 9 is a defender who could replace Trent McDuffie.

Kansas City took McDuffie at No. 21 in 2022 out of Washington.

The 25-year-old defensive back has made one All-Pro team and won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs.

Kansas City has big decision to make on Thursday

But McDuffie was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in March and promptly signed a massive four-year, $124 million contract extension.

That has the ESPN analyst wondering if a technically proven young cornerback from LSU could soon be wearing KC red.

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“Mansoor Delane, the cornerback out of LSU,” Jordan Reid said.

“Now that Trent McDuffie is gone, I think they have a huge need at corner. So either three of those players, I think will be a great pick for them at nine.”

The last time the Chiefs held a first-round pick this close to No. 9 was via a 2017 trade.

Kansas City sat at 27 and had veteran Alex Smith as its starting quarterback.

But Big Red believed in Mahomes and the Chiefs leapt up to No. 10 in a blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Bills.

Nine years later, Mahomes is coming off his only losing season in the pros and the No. 9 pick will help shape his future in Kansas City.

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