The Kansas City Chiefs front office is not used to owning a high pick in the NFL Draft. This year represents a unique opportunity for GM Brett Veach and his staff to land a real difference maker with the No. 9 overall selection. The downside to picking that high is that it's a symptom of how many holes the team needs to fill this offseason.
There's still a lot of open road between now and the draft, but the completion of this year's Combine has started to bring things into focus for the Chiefs. Most of the offseason chatter surrounding the franchise has centered on landing a running back or impact defender capable of providing the franchise with immediate help. The scarcity of top-level prospects in those position groups means the Chiefs would be wise to keep their minds open in case a talented prospect unexpectedly falls to them at No. 9. The following four prospects could do just that when Round 1 begins.
RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Jeremiyah Love remains the consensus No. 1 running back in this year's draft class. Nothing that occurred at the Combine did anything to change that. He should appeal to the Chiefs with his ability to produce big plays from the backfield.
The challenge for Kansas City is that Love could be off the board by the time they go on the clock at No. 9. Dane Brugler of The Athletic's latest mock has him being selected by the Titans with the fourth pick.
That would force the Chiefs to pivot and try to fill their hole at running back in the later rounds. There's no other rusher that shuld be in contention for them with their first round selection. It's Love or bust at running back for Kansas City at nine.
EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Chiefs are always on the lookout for impact edge rushers. Their offense has largely been prolific during the Patrick Mahomes era, which forces their opponents to try to outscore them. Generating pressure from the defensive line plays perfectly into those potential game states.
David Bailey is one of the most dynamic perimeter rushers in this class. He has outstanding burst and size from his defensive end spot. His run-stopping ability remains a work in progress but it's easy to project him as a double-digit sack artist early in his pro career.
The odds are high that Bailey goes off the board before Kansas City can select him, but a few edge rushers have a chance to move ahead of him based on their Pro Days. If Bailey falls to Kansas City, they should be excited to add him to their pass-rushing corps.
EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)
The idea of Kansas City landing Rueben Bain Jr. is similar to the methodology behind selecting Bailey. He is another player with a chance to blossom into a high-quality pass rusher even if he goes about the task differently than his Texas Tech peer.
Bain uses more violence at the point of attack to put pressure on opposing signal callers. His production at Miami was beyond reproach, but scouts are concerned about his lack of length at the pro level. No one should be shocked if Bain's short arms start to cause his draft stock to nose-dive in the coming weeks.
I think a big thing for Reuben Bain (EDGE #4) to reach his ceiling is - how consistently can he mix his rush approach to bend the edge like this: pic.twitter.com/IttB1aX2NT
— Cole Jackson (@ColeJacksonFB) February 6, 2026
The Chiefs might represent his floor at No. 9, but they might need to get comfortable with deploying him on the interior on obvious passing downs to get the most out of his skill set.
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The Ohio State standout's draft stock is climbing after he put on a show at the Combine. Even so, it's possible that Sonny Styles could fall to No. 9 on draft day because of the low value placed on linebackers at the top of the draft.
The Chiefs need to add defensive difference-makers at any level of their defense. Styles' ability to cover a ton of ground and potentially force turnovers at the pro level makes him worth the price of picking him in the first round.
Some Chiefs fans might prefer to see Caleb Downs be the Ohio State star targeted here, but Styles simply has more natural ability. If Kansas City is going to spend the No. 9 pick on a non-premium, defensive position, then Styles should be the obvious target.