The Kansas City Chiefs have the No. 9 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and with this chance, head coach Andy Reid has many options on the table. The roster still needs help at edge rusher, wide receiver, and defensive back, and a trade-up is also in play. In order to address these issues, Chiefs have taken a step by inviting a projected top-five prospect for a visit, adding a different layer to their plans.

On Friday, the Chiefs brought in Ohio State linebacker/edge rusher Arvell Reese for a Top 30 visit, as reported by Mike Garafolo. For the Chiefs, the need to reshape this defensive unit feels urgent, especially when it comes to adding true explosiveness off the edge. What’s missing right now are defenders who can convert speed into power, collapsing pockets instead of just circling them.

They need pass rushers who can dip and bend around the corner, forcing tackles into uncomfortable angles. More importantly, the group lacks players who can consistently test an offensive tackle’s footwork and push it past its limit. And Reeve can fit in that search, as his strengths are: he builds speed quickly; he has great size for the position; and he has good foot quickness and understanding of his responsibilities in coverage. However, the bad news is, the Chiefs are not the only team doing homework on him.

Reese has already spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants, and he also met with the Dallas Cowboys, who sit at No. 12 in the Draft. Furthermore, Reese’s draft range makes this situation tricky for the Chiefs.

He is widely viewed as a potential top-two pick, which means he may not even be available when Kansas City selects. He began his career as an off-ball linebacker but also showed he can play as an edge rusher, and his athletic abilities are impressive. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 241 pounds, he runs the 40-yard dash in just 4.46 seconds, which is really fast.

Because of that, Andy Reid and the Chiefs may need to consider trading up if they truly want him.

“Chiefs have visited with a couple really good pass rushers who should go earlier than they pick, which means at least they’re looking at the potential of moving up in the draft and taking an edge rusher who could be potentially elite,” Ian Rapoport said on the recent episode of The Insiders.

After all, Reese’s production backs up the hype. Last season at Ohio State, this 20-year-old made 69 tackles, with 10 of those being for a loss, plus he recorded 6.5 sacks and broke up two passes. His ability to play different positions reminds some people of Micah Parsons when he was coming out of college, but many experts still see him as a linebacker who will play off the ball for a while.

Still, his future could lean more toward rushing the passer. As he develops, teams expect him to take on a heavier edge role, which only increases his value. However, if the Chiefs cannot land Reese, they are not out of options.

Andy Reid’s draft strategy may hinge on an aggressive move for an elite pass rusher

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have a solid advantage with two first-round picks, one of which they got from trading Trent McDuffie to the Rams. While the Chiefs can fill a lot of holes with this draft, CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli says that the team in the city of fountains is going in a different direction.

He expects that Kansas City will take a daring step and trade up to No. 3 to select Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

“The Chiefs get aggressive with their many draft picks and move up to address their pass rush by taking Bailey. Patrick Mahomes has somebody to talk about Texas Tech with in the locker room now,” Fornelli wrote.

Naturally, moving up in the draft would be costly for Andy Reid and the front office, likely requiring the No. 9 pick and additional assets. But, since the front office needs a reliable edge pressure and they have potential in Bailey, it is possible that the front office could see it prudent to make that big step.

He is 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, and he possesses explosive speed as well as impressive first-step quickness and the ability to negotiate tackles. He has just completed a remarkable season at Texas Tech, with 19.5 tackles lost, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an unbelievable 94.4 pass-rush grade, which led this draft class.

The Chiefs recorded 35 sacks last year, the seventh-lowest in the league. The acquisition of Bailey or even Arvell Reese to play alongside Chris Jones and George Karlaftis in Arrowhead Stadium would indeed be a real game-changer.