The Kansas City Chiefs have some major problems to solve during the 2026 NFL Draft. Kansas City trade away Trent McDuffie and ended up losing Jaylen Watson in free agency, with both players going to LA. Now the Chiefs are positioned well to load up on defensive talent during the draft.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released a new mock draft on Tuesday after the first week of NFL free agency. He had Kansas City using both picks on defensive players.
Kiper had the Chiefs choosing edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the ninth overall pick.
“After trading Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson in free agency, cornerback need some repairs. LSU's Mansoor Delaneand Tennessee's Jermod McCoy have to be considerations here,” Kiper wrote. “But remember, the Chiefs now have two first-round picks. And Bain would be very tough to pass up at this spot. Despite 30⅞-inch arms that caused quite the stir at the combine, Bain is dominant off the edge. He simply finds ways to get to the QB, whether it's with his speed, power or savviness. He had 71 pressures last season en route to 9.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.”
Bain would join George Karlaftis and Chris Jones on Kansas City's defensive line. That would be a dream for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Thankfully the Chiefs were able to address the cornerback position too. Kiper paired them with South Carolina corner Brandon Cisse with the 29th overall pick.
“Cisse showed off his explosiveness at the combine, jumping 41 inches in the vertical,” Kiper added. “He anticipates and closes well, with 12 pass breakups over the past two seasons. He could slide right in to the starting lineup.”
Cisse projects as an immediate starter alongside Kristian Fulton and newcomer Kader Kohou.
The Chiefs could look like contenders again in 2026 after those two picks.
