By trading star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs became the third team to own multiple first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Brett Veach acquired the Rams' No. 29 pick, in addition to their fifth- and sixth-rounders, and a 2027 third-round selection.
The Chiefs already had the No. 9 pick in the draft after a disappointing 6-11 season in 2025. They are almost unanimously expected to use that selection on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love after posting the worst rushing numbers in the league in the last two years.
The trade gives Kansas City multiple first-round selections for the first time since 2022, when they ironically took McDuffie 21st overall.
McDuffie is just the latest veteran to fall victim to the Chiefs' spring cleaning. Kansas City previously released longtime defensive end Mike Danna and right tackle Jawaan Taylor as it attempts to create cap space ahead of free agency.
Sending McDuffie to the Rams leaves Kansas City with just four cornerbacks on its roster who combined for just nine starts in 2025. The position suddenly became the team's second-biggest need, especially if it does not re-sign Jaylen Watson in free agency.
Although not guaranteed to use the No. 29 pick on a cornerback, the Chiefs appear to be headed in that direction. Whichever direction the team goes, Kansas City now has the opportunity to steal the show on Day One of the 2026 NFL Draft.
5. EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
By releasing Danna, the Chiefs also put themselves in the market for a new edge-rusher. Kansas City currently has just four defensive ends on its roster, two of which did not see the field in any meaningful way in 2025.
The Chiefs have several young edge-rushing prospects they hope will fill Danna's role, including 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah and 2025 third-rounder Ashton Gillotte. But with Anudike-Uzomah missing the entire 2025 campaign and Gillotte recording just 1.5 sacks in his up-and-down rookie season, neither can be relied on without adding any insurance.
Kansas City could target an edge-rusher early, particularly if Rueben Bain Jr. or David Bailey falls to No. 9. It is more likely that Veach will address the position at No. 29, if at all in the first round.
Auburn's Keldric Faulk is one of the biggest projects of the draft, but one the Chiefs might find value investing in. Faulk did not post big-time numbers in college, accumulating just 10 sacks in three years with the Tigers, but his physicality jumps off the page as one of the most athletic edge-rushers in the class.
Critics say Faulk is slightly undersized, but at 20, he is one of the youngest players in the draft, giving him time to develop. Despite his underwhelming numbers at Auburn, Faulk's strong performance at the combine keeps him in the back-end of the first round.
4. LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Linebacker could be another position of need for the Chiefs with Leo Chenal hitting unrestricted free agency soon. A three-year starter, Chenal would be a big loss as one of the key centerpieces of Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 defense.
If the Chiefs want to target a linebacker at No. 29, they could end Day One with the biggest buy-low prospect of the class. Two-time All-American Anthony Hill Jr. was a preseason projected top-10 pick before injuries slowed him down in his final season at Texas.
After posting 113 tackles in 2024, Hill's production took a significant step back in 2025, resulting in just 70 tackles in his junior season. His sack numbers also decreased, though he did snag a career-high two interceptions.
Hill did not look like the unstoppable force in 2025 that he had been the year before, and his stock fell even further after he suffered an injury at the combine. He remains a projected first-rounder solely due to the explosive potential he displayed earlier in his career.
Had Hill been eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft, he likely would have been a top-15 pick. One year later, the Chiefs have the potential opportunity to land a generational talent at the end of the first round.
3. TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
The Chiefs need to upgrade their tight end room in 2026, whether Travis Kelce retires or not. Even with Noah Gray and Jared Wiley still on the roster, the team has not received high-level production at the position for years.
Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq has quickly become the consensus top tight end of the class due to his unique athleticism for the position. Sadiq recently set an NFL Combine tight end record with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, causing him to shoot up some mock draft boards.
Sadiq was not the biggest stat-stuffer at Oregon, recording a career-high 560 receiving yards in 2025, but his physicals are too much to ignore. The Idaho native also became an elite red zone threat in his final season in Eugene, catching a team-high eight touchdowns.
Depending on how aggressive tight-end-needy teams like the Carolina Panthers or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get, Sadiq could be long gone by the time the Chiefs are on the clock at No. 29. But barring a bold mid-round move, there is an equally likely chance the 21-year-old specimen is still on the board at the end of the first round.
Kansas City has bigger positions of need than tight end, but giving Patrick Mahomes an athletic freak like Sadiq to succeed Kelce might have too much upside to pass up on. Reigning John Mackey Award winner Eli Stowers could also be a dark-horse candidate at No. 29 if Sadiq's rise continues.
2. CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
The 2026 cornerback class is one of the best in recent draft history, giving the Chiefs several high-end options late in the first round. Among them is South Carolina's Brandon Cisse, who is one of the biggest wild cards of the draft.
Cisse is one of the most volatile prospects due to the plethora of questions scouts have about him. Cisse's injury history is among his biggest concerns, as he never played a full season in college, averaging 2.7 missed games in his three years.
However, when he was on the field, Cisse's athleticism and physicality grabbed scouts' attention. Cisse is arguably the best tackler of the cornerback class while possessing the necessary footwork and speed to lock down opposing No. 1 receivers.
The Chiefs already have a few young cornerback projects they hope will pan out in 2026, including 2025 third-rounder Nohl Williams and former undrafted free agent Chris Roland-Wallace. Cisse would not immediately replace Trent McDuffie, but he is a potential day-one starter with a sky-high ceiling.
1. CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Trading McDuffie could alter the Chiefs' plans at No. 9, where they could potentially take LSU's Mansoor Delane or Tennessee's Jermod McCoy. But assuming they stick true to their likely plan to draft Jeremiyah Love, Clemson's Avieon Terrell is the best cornerback Kansas City can hope to get at No. 29.
Terrell, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons All-Pro cornerback A.J. Terrell, shot up draft boards with an impressive 2025 campaign that ended with first-team All-ACC recognition. As one of the most versatile playmakers of the class, Avieon Terrell ended his three-year college football career with 25 pass breakups, four sacks, eight forced fumbles and four interceptions.
Terrell is slightly undersized, but his instincts and footwork are already NFL-caliber. The 21-year-old allowed just 29 receptions on 392 pass coverage snaps in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.
If the Chiefs are going to land an immediate Trent McDuffie replacement with the Rams' No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it will be Terrell. Veach can only hope that the rising prospect is still on the board by then.
