With two picks in round one (No. 9 and No. 29), the Kansas City Chiefs will have good players at their disposal in the 2026 NFL Draft. But it wasn’t always that way. The team is not accustomed to having picks this high, yet it goes without saying that they need to get things right. The franchise is working through a soft reset, and getting these selections correct could be the difference between rebuilding on the fly and returning to the playoffs in 2026.

After all, fans haven’t forgotten the difficult 2025 season, which they ended with a 6-11 record. But if there is anyone who is looking forward to the draft the most, it is general manager Brett Veach. Hear it from the man himself.

“I think that the fans will be in for a treat next Thursday,” he said on April 16 during an interview with the media. “I think that the grades are going to be so close to some of these tackles and defensive ends, receivers, and other positions that a lot of these guys who are mocked high may go a little lower, and a lot of these guys that are getting mocked low may go a little higher. The grades are so close that it’s gonna come down to scheme fit and coaches’ analysis, the vision, the fit for these guys.

“I think it should be an entertaining night. There will probably be a lot of trades. I think a draft like this, where you don’t have 2 or 3 franchise quarterbacks and a Will Anderson or a Myles Garrett, I think it does lend itself to open up a lot of fun and excitement. I think from a fan’s perspective, they should have a lot of fun next Thursday.”

Here’s the thing: the general manager said this after he was questioned about how some of the best players in this draft don’t play premium positions like quarterback or edge rusher and how the Chiefs will balance the premium and non-premium positions.

High-end prospects like linebacker Sonny Styles, running back Jeremiyah Love, and safety Caleb Downs are all incredibly talented, but they play roles that teams don’t always value as highly with their top picks. And so, the Chiefs could trade up from No. 9 instead of waiting around and hoping for premium position players. 

Sure, they could also stay put at No.9, but with the extra draft capital after the Trent McDuffie trade, Veach might see this as the right opportunity to make big moves.

Further, holding onto the No. 29 pick would be ideal, but there is a scenario where pairing it with No. 9 to trade up, while still adding a Day 2 selection in the process, could open the door to a higher-end pass rusher the Chiefs typically wouldn’t have access to late in the first round. Take, for example, Texas Tech’s David Bailey.

Considering the team’s pattern in recent years, the Chiefs have used their late first-round picks on players like George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, and Xavier Worthy. While these players have been decent, none have truly dominated, with some even performing below expectations. So, this might be it for them.

Now sitting at the No. 9 spot, Kansas City faces a choice. They could stay where they are and hope a top-tier wide receiver or pass rusher is still available when it’s their turn to pick, or be aggressive and trade up for a premier prospect.

The Chiefs need to make an important decision at the 2026 Draft

Kansas City needs to choose its draft picks based on what the team currently lacks. Their biggest goal on defense is to find another pass rusher to complement George Karlaftis, who led the team in pressure rate, and make the unit stronger overall. Several mock drafts and analysts are projecting them to pick Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. or UCF’s Malachi Lawrence.

They also need to find a new cornerback to improve their pass coverage, following the departure of their key players, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. The team can look to pick either draft prospects like Mansoor Delane and William Lee to fill the gap.

On offense, the team is looking for a wide receiver who can catch long throws down the field easily. They already have two young receivers in Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, but they also need a backup since Rice is currently dealing with off-field issues. Projected draft prospects that can add a significant boost to the Chiefs’ roster include Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, and USC’s Makai Lemon.

The team also needs to find a tight end who can eventually take over for Travis Kelce when he decides to retire. Next week, the front office can look for a reliable successor in Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, and NC State Wolfpack’s Justin Joly.

How Brett Veach and the Chiefs’ front office utilize these valuable picks to address the team’s needs will determine if the Chiefs can quickly return to championship contention.