Chiefs 7-round mock: Kansas City gets Travis Kelce's heir in mock draft
· Yahoo Sports
After their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs came back down to earth in 2025.
Kansas City went from winning close games with metronomic consistency in 2024 to losing those in 2025. The Chiefs went 1-6 in one-score games before star quarterback Patrick Mahomessuffered a torn ACL in Week 14 and the team ended the year 6-11.
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That result brought an end to the Chiefs' reign atop the AFC West. For the first time since 2015, Kansas City failed to win the division.
The franchise is faced with an unfamiliar position: a top-10 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's the first of six selections Kansas City is set to make – including projected compensatory picks – this April. The Chiefs haven't picked that early in the NFL Draft since trading up to select Mahomes at No. 10 overall in 2017.
For a team with All-Pros and a multiple-time MVP in Mahomes, there are myriad possibilities for areas to attack through the draft. A focus on bolstering a defense led by aging star Chris Jones and pending (or soon-to-be) free agents in the secondary makes sense. The offense lacked explosiveness in 2025 and the team could opt to invest on that side of the ball as well.
In our prediction for the Chiefs' draft, we think they'll do a little of both.
Kansas City Chiefs 7-round mock draft
Compensatory picks projected from Tankathon.
Round 1, No. 9 overall: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Faulk is one of the youngest prospects in this class and offers an inside-out skillset thanks to his length at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds. That frame and youth offers a long runway for development. His baseline skills in run defense will ensure he's at least an early-down player to begin his career.
He has a lower floor than some of the other edge rushers of the class but his ceiling is among the highest. He could develop into close to his best alongside Jones before taking over for him.
Round 2, No. 40 overall: TE Max Klare, Ohio State
Future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce is a free agent entering his age-37 season. It'd hardly be a shock if the Chiefs opted against retaining him. They need a future starter to take his place and Klare could be that player.
The Buckeyes tight end could be in for a better professional career than in college. With Ohio State, Klare was often a receiving option below the likes of Carnell Tate and future first-round pick Jeremiah Smith. His mix of solid size (6-foot-5, 243 pounds), burst, route-running and zone awareness should help him hit the ground running.
Round 3, No. 74 overall: CB Will Lee III, Texas A&M
Kansas City may lose Jaylen Watson in free agency this year and Trent McDuffie will be up for an extension soon. The team spent a third-round pick on Nohl Williams last year. Another third-rounder to ensure some security in the secondary would be wise.
Lee has good size for press coverage at 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds. His ball production is solid with 22 pass breakups and four interceptions in three years. He's better in man than zone coverage at this point and may see more flags at the NFL level but the Chiefs have a pedigree for improving cornerbacks like him.
Round 4, No. 109 overall: OT Austin Barber, Florida
Josh Simmons' wrist injury means he's missed time in each of his last two football seasons (2025 in Kansas City, 2024 with Ohio State). Some extra depth on the edge of the offensive line is far from a bad idea.
Barber started the last three years at left tackle for the Gators and boasts prototypical size at 6-foot-6 and 314 pounds. He's already a good run blocker with strong hands. He needs to improve his technique in pass protection but he should have ample opportunity to do that.
Round 5, No. 146 overall: WR Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech
Kasnas City lacked receiving options on offense last year with Rashee Rice's suspension and Xavier Worthy's injury. Virgil could be a prospect to develop and vary the body types in the wide receiver room in Kansas City.
Virgil stands 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds with smooth athleticism that will be a fit outside. His ball skills are solid and he should be a downfield and intermediate threat against opposing defenses. He may need to bulk up more to handle NFL physicality but with both Rice and Worthy in-house already there's little pressure for him to produce right away.
Round 5, No. 176 overall (compensatory): RB J'Mari Taylor, Virginia
Kansas City's ground game lacked explosiveness in 2025; they had Mahomes for most of the year but finished the season 20th in explosive play rate. The Chiefs may opt to spend on the position in free agency instead of using an earlier draft pick on it. If so, scooping up Taylor on Day 3 could be a good option.
Taylor tallied more than 1,400 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns for North Carolina Central in 2024. He transferred to Virginia in 2025 and still produced with 1,315 scrimmage yards and 15 total touchdowns. He's undersized at 5-foot-9 but his contact balance and burst are impressive. He'd be a complimentary back to round out the room with Brashard Smith's receiving abilities and another veteran addition.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chiefs mock draft: Kansas City selects Travis Kelce's successor