The Star’s second Kansas City Chiefs mock draft of the 2026 pre-NFL Draft run-up leads with defense — but in a different way than last week.
Our 2026 mock draft 1.0 went cornerback/edge rusher for the Chiefs’ first two picks: LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Missouri’s Zion Young.
This time it’s edge/cornerback.
Rueben Bain Jr. is arguably this year’s most discussed prospect because of a talent-vs.-measurements debate. He was an All-America and Ted Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s top defensive end at Miami and helped the Hurricanes to the CFP Championship Game.
But his arm length, measured at less than 31 inches, is short for the position. And that has some evaluators wondering how effective he’ll be at the pro level long-term.
Our second pick of this Chiefs mock 2.0, still in the first round, is one of two Tennessee cornerbacks who are projected to be first- or early second-round selections: Colton Hood.
Chiefs beat writers Pete Sweeney and Blair Kerkhoff convened in The Star’s (mock) draft room to come up with choices for all nine picks. As a reminder, the NFL Draft takes place in Pittsburgh on April 23-25.
Round 1, Pick, 9: Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr.
Miami held its pro day Monday and Bain didn’t disappoint. “I feel like I can do it all,” he said, per the Miami Herald. “All boxes were checked today. Everybody saw that I’m not just a guy that can put my hand in the dirt, but I can drop in coverage. I can move around real fluid, no matter what my size is. I get it done and I’m just football player.”
Much has been made of Bain’s arm length, a short 30 7/8, and whether he’ll be able to overcome bigger tackles in the NFL. He counters with this comparison: “Mike Tyson, he wasn’t the tallest guy. He wasn’t the longest-limbed guy. But when you felt him, you felt him.”
If Bain fell to No. 9, the Chiefs would likely make him their pick, He’d start immediately, too, with the idea being that he’d overcome a perceive physical limitation with burst, power and athleticism. There is no more intriguing player in the draft this year.
Mock draft 1.0: LSU CB Mansoor Delane.
Round 1, Pick No. 29 overall: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
He’s a physical defensive back with good size at 6-foot, 195 pounds. He started his career at Auburn and played at Colorado before his final season at Tennessee.
The Chiefs are replenishing their secondary after losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. The position group will likely get attention throughout this year’s draft, and in this scenario KC would’ve just helped its pass defense by selecting Bain at No. 9.
Mock draft 1.0: Missouri edge Zion Young.
Round 2, Pick 40: Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell
If the Chiefs don’t use their first pick to select one of the consensus top-three wide receivers — Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon or Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson — they could address this position with one of their next two picks.
Brazzell, who stands 6-4, could be available at No. 40 and would give the Chiefs more size at the position. Some might see this as a reach, but Brazzell was listed as the fourth-best receiver prospect in Mel Kiper’s ESPN list earlier this week.
Mock draft 1.0: Washington WR Denzel Boston.
Round 3, Pick 74: Ohio State TE Max Klare
A pass-catching tight end, Klare was Purdue’s best offensive threat before transferring to Ohio State last year.
His numbers dropped in Columbus because the Buckeyes already had multiple offensive weapons, but he still shared All-Big Ten honors with Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq.
As Travis Kelce winds down his magnificent career, look for the Chiefs to select a potential successor who can put up numbers. Klare could be that guy.
Mock draft 1.0: Georgia CB Daylen Everette.
Round 4, Pick 109: Oregon LB Bryce Boettcher
It isn’t talked about as much as the Chiefs’ other glaring needs, but they must find a way to replace linebacker Leo Chenal, who left for the Washington Commanders in free agency.
While his size (6-1) and weight (233) compare more closely to KC’s Drue Tranquill than the heavier Chenal, Boettcher is an instinctive, downhill linebacker with a motor that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will like.
Boettcher was Oregon’s defensive play-caller and won the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top walk-on in 2024. He also stacked up well during Senior Bowl week.
Mock draft 1.0: Baylor TE Michael Trigg.
Round 5, Pick 148: Florida OT Austin Barber
At 6-7, 318 pounds with 33-inch arms, Barber projects as a developmental prospect with upside in the NFL. He would compete with Esa Pole for the Chiefs’ swing tackle job.
Barber started his college career at right tackle before flipping to left tackle in 2023. Playing either position with the Gators, he was seeing NFL-level competition each week in the SEC.
He’s a former high school basketball player who should have the built-in athleticism that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid wants in an offensive lineman.
Mock draft 1.0: Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne.
Round 5, Pick 169: North Carolina CB Thaddeus Dixon
Even with the early choice of Hood in this mock, the expectation is that Chiefs GM Brett Veach throws numbers at defensive back throughout this year’s nine-pick draft process.
Dixon is long and showed his ability to compete with top pass-catchers at the Senior Bowl. As the second cornerback off the board for Kansas City, Dixon would have time to develop under Chiefs DBs coach Dave Merritt before being thrown into the fire as a potential contributor.
Mock draft 1.0: Miami safety Jakobe Thomas.
Round 5, Pick 176: Notre Dame S Jalen Stroman
Let’s stay on theme with another DB. Even with the addition of Alohi Gilman in free agency, the Chiefs could use another safety for depth.
Stroman has the sort of versatility Spagnuolo values — he can play deep or rotate down. Against Syracuse, the graduate transfer registered a pick-six and blocked a punt that resulted in another touchdown. Talk about showcasing one’s upside as a potential NFL special teams player.
Stroman was an NFL Scouting Combine snub, however. He’s expected to be available on Day 3.
Mock draft 1.0: Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton.
Round 6, Pick 210: John Carroll WR Tyren Montgomery
The back end of Day 3 has to feature a small-school dart-throw with big upside, right? So why not this Division III receiver?
While Montgomery is already 25, his ceiling is virtually unknown. He began college life as a basketball walk-on at LSU in 2019 before the pandemic changed his trajectory. After a stop at Nicholls and some eligibility hurdles, Montgomery landed at D-III John Carroll, where he posted back-to-back thousand-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025, scoring 32 total TDs in that span.
Mock draft 1.0: Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Rivers.
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Blair Kerkhoff
The Kansas City Star
Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989. He was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
