Brett Veach understands the weight of the 2026 NFL Draft. For starters, the Kansas City Chiefs just posted their worst record in more than a decade. On top of that, they’re holding the No. 9 overall pick, which is their highest selection since trading up for Patrick Mahomes. So when Veach spoke at the combine, every word carried context.

“I think there’s the old-school,” Veach said. “I mean, you’re always going to O-line, D-line, those positional values are there. You see them in free agency. But at the same time, I mean, arguably some of the best players in this draft are maybe at non-premium positions, when you look at the Ohio State linebacker, the Notre Dame running back, the safety from Ohio State. So, those are really, really good players. It’s hard to find fault with their tape.”

He didn’t name names. But it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State’s Caleb Downs were clearly part of that subtext. And both positions happen to align with Kansas City’s needs.

Start with running back. The 2025 season exposed how thin things became. Even with Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco on the roster, Mahomes found himself balancing the rushing attack while carrying the passing game until an ACL and LCL tear ended his year.

Now, with both Hunt and Pacheco entering free agency, adding a young, high-end back becomes less luxury and more priority. That’s where Love enters the picture. The Chiefs have already committed heavily to the interior offensive line with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey. Kingsley Suamataia has shifted from tackle to left guard.

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Josh Simmons, their 2025 first-rounder, is expected back at left tackle, and Jawaan Taylor could remain on the right side. Structurally, the line is set up to support a feature back and to lighten Mahomes’ workload ahead of his anticipated Week 1 return in 2026.

Love’s résumé backs the projection. The 6-foot, 214-pound back is coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus rushing yard seasons and is widely viewed as a top-10 talent. Mel Kiper has already mocked him to Kansas City at No. 9. Whether Veach pulls that trigger or pivots elsewhere is the real question.

Because the secondary remains another pressure point. In 2025, Kansas City allowed a 66.8% completion rate and 3,487 passing yards, numbers that suggest quarterbacks consistently found rhythm against their coverage. That brings Downs squarely into the conversation.

Multiple mock drafts, including Dane Brugler’s, have linked the Chiefs to a safety if they pass on a running back. Downs, alongside Buffalo Bills fifth-rounder Jordan Hancock, helped anchor an Ohio State defense that led the nation in fewest points allowed at 12.9 per game in 2024. In the process, they combined for three interceptions and 14 passes defensed.

“But Downs is a difference-maker,” Brugler explained, “both with his impact on the field and within the culture of the team. One could argue that he is the best safety prospect since Eric Berry, a top-10 pick of the Chiefs 16 years ago.”

Downs fits. But here’s the caveat: drafting a non-premium position in the first round limits flexibility elsewhere. If Kansas City uses No. 9 on a safety or running back, it likely means passing on positions that are harder to fill in free agency.

Still, reading the tea leaves, the lean feels clear. Veach may talk about positional value, but the bigger picture revolves around protecting and maximizing Mahomes. And if that’s the case, the path to April likely runs through the backfield.

Brett Veach has plans to make Patrick Mahomes’ life easier

At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Brett Veach was asked how the Chiefs plan to protect Patrick Mahomes. His answer wasn’t about pass protection or edge rushers. It centered on the run game and how upgrading it this offseason could make life significantly easier for Mahomes in 2026.

“We want to get more explosive in the running game,” Veach told the reporters. “And, you know, we’ve invested in that interior, with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey, I mean, two of the best in the league, and we thought Kingsley (Suamataia) made a big step. I mean, those are three talented interior players. So, I think, and we’ve talked about it…I think being more explosive in the running game and really taking advantage of those interior three to kind of impose your will on an opposing team’s defense.

“But I mean, the running game takes a lot of pressure off everybody. So, I think, if we can be more explosive and more effective in the running game, I think, obviously, we take a lot of pressure off Pat (Mahomes), especially coming back early in the season with the injury.”

Right now, the Chiefs have just Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell under contract, with Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco headed toward free agency. That alone underscores why adding explosiveness on the ground matters. The other reason, plainly, is Mahomes himself.

In 2025, Mahomes logged 64 carries for 422 yards and five rushing touchdowns, all career highs in a single season. He finished just 40 yards behind Pacheco’s rushing total despite having 54 fewer attempts. That’s not sustainable if the goal is long-term health.

The takeaway is straightforward: Kansas City needs help in the run game. And it needs to scale back Mahomes’ workload. That’s why the idea of drafting Jeremiyah Love at No. 9 in the 2026 NFL Draft keeps surfacing. Will Veach pull the trigger? Or pivot elsewhere? We’ll find out soon enough.