The Kansas City Chiefs have two important picks in the first round. The football community knows how important it is to select the right talent with those high picks, because they are not cheap. Though the franchise has been linked to a lot of elite prospects, there could be a possibility that the Chiefs might be targeting a trio instead of a duo.

Arrowhead Addict's Price Carter just drew a potential mock draft for the Chiefs. According to his analysis, the Chiefs trade the No. 9 pick for No. 15, stick with the 29th pick, and trade their 40th and 148th picks for the 32nd one. With three first-round picks, Kansas City will look to make a statement.

The Chiefs' most important needs in the moment is a cornerback, and they get a prolific one in Tennessee Volunteer star Jermod McCoy. With Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson no longer on the roster, Kansas City needs an impactful cornerback to hold the defense steady. He had a difficult 2025 since he was out with injury, but McCoy ran a terrific 4.38 in the 40-yard das at Tennessee's Pro Day to seat himself among the top CBs in the draft.

The team sticking with No. 29 makes sense, when using it to tackle an urgent need like EDGE. If Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker is available, the Chiefs might take him to strengthen the pass rush. He has also been productive in stopping the run, which is a lucrative enough quality for the Chiefs to invest a first-round pick. They need to get a fresh player to make up for the slump that Ashton Gilotte and Felix Anudike-Uzomah have hit.

Then, Kansas City plans to go full steam ahead and attack a key position: wide receiver. Rashee Rice, the team's most reliable WR on the roster, has only just been cleared by the NFL, but the court is yet to sound its verdict on the legal trouble he's facing. The next man up in line, Tyquan Thornton, doesn't quite pack a punch. In such a scenario, Texas Tech's KC Concepcion could be seen as a good pick.

There are, of course, other names Kansas City can be looking at in this crucial round.

Who Else Can Kansas City Chiefs Possibly Draft in Round 1?

It is also very much possible that the team stays put at No. 9, targeting the best of the best in the draft. That might bring them to star Ohio State safety, Caleb Downs. The Buckeye phenom can practically do everything that's warranted at that position, and more. With a total of 256 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, and 6 interceptions, he is the best pro-ready option at safety for the Chiefs to look at.

Edge rusher will remain a priority for the team. And at No. 9 or No. 29, it doesn't seem that Kansas City will get elites like Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. or Texas Tech's David Bailey. But they can hope for Texas A&M's Cashius Howell at No. 29, who earned first-team All-SEC honors and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year title in 2025. Racking up 11.5 sacks last season, Howell can get after the quarterback pretty well.

But given that the Chiefs also have equally pressing needs in the offense, it would not be a surprise if they trade up to bag such a talent in the first round. Patrick Mahomes and Co. desperately need more help to have a better year in 2025, which makes it sensible for the team to make such a move.

Who are your choices for Chiefs' top picks in the 2026 draft? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Afreen Kabir