The old adage says the higher you are, the harder the fall, and the Kansas City Chiefs felt every bit of that gravity in 2025. After a decade of dominance, matching the second-longest playoff streak in NFL history at 10 seasons, the wheels didn’t just come off; the entire engine stalled. The dream of a fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance evaporated long before Patrick Mahomes went down with a season-ending injury in Week 15.
The statistics are jarring: Kansas City dropped eight of their final nine games, a stretch of losing that equaled their total losses from 2023 and 2024 combined. Finishing the year with 11 losses felt like a fever dream for a fan base that hadn’t seen a double-digit loss column since the pre-Andy Reid era.
A Defensive Facelift: Addressing the Secondary Void at Number Nine
The silver lining to a disastrous season is the rare gift of premium draft capital. For the first time since 2013, the year they landed Eric Fisher and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs find themselves holding a top-10 pick. While the quarterback market is already locked (with National Champion Fernando Mendoza expected to land in Las Vegas), the rest of the board is a “best player available” buffet.
General Manager Brett Veach has already signaled his strategy by snagging Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency, effectively taking themselves out of the Jermyiah Love sweepstakes.
The real urgency, however, lies on the other side of the ball. The departures of lockdown corners Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson have left the secondary looking uncharacteristically thin. With the 9th overall pick and an additional late first-rounder (the 29th pick acquired from the Rams in the McDuffie trade), Kansas City is in a prime position to rebuild their defense from the ground up.
The question now is whether they prioritize a shutdown corner or a versatile safety who can play “center field” in Steve Spagnuolo’s aggressive system.
Scouting the Blueprint: Delane, Downs, and the Edge Rush Dilemma
If the board falls as expected, three names are currently dominating the conversation in the Chiefs’ draft room. Each brings a specific “value add” that could immediately stabilize a unit that gave up uncharacteristic big plays during the 2025 slide:
- Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU): Widely regarded as the premier cornerback in this class, Delane has the physical tools to be a true “Island” defender. While Veach usually finds gems in the later rounds, the loss of two starters might force his hand to take the elite talent early.
- Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State): With the secondary decimated by free agency, Downs is the “Swiss Army Knife” prospect scouts are raving about. His playing style has drawn heavy comparisons to a young Budda Baker, offering the range and tackling ability that could fill the void left by the recent veteran exodus.
- Rueben Bain Jr. (Edge, Miami): If the Chiefs decide the best defense is a relentless pass rush, Bain is the pick. His explosive power and high floor make him a Day 1 starter who can shift inside on sub-packages, creating the kind of mismatches that fueled the Chiefs’ previous Super Bowl runs.
The 2026 Draft isn’t just about finding a player; it’s about a total course correction. Whether it’s Delane’s coverage or Bain’s pressure, the ninth pick is the foundation upon which the next era of the Mahomes dynasty will be built.
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