Many folks in the NFL world may not realize just how crucial the 2026 NFL Draft will be for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have been the NFL's newest dynasty over the majority of the last decade, but the bill has come due, and they are dealing with roster issues, cap issues, and Patrick Mahomes coming back from a major knee injury.
The Chiefs are coming off of their worst season in the Andy Reid era, finishing 6-11 last season and in third place in the AFC West. There is a lot of work to be done even after stealing some headlines in the early stages of NFL Free Agency by signing Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker.
What would be the ideal use of the top two picks the Chiefs have in the 2026 NFL Draft? After trading away Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs hold the 9th and 29th overall picks in round one, and can do some serious damage.
Chiefs need to target new defensive pieces with top 2 picks in 2026 NFL Draft
Round 1 | 9th overall: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
Since we're talking about ideal, we have to mention Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain. Even if it feels less likely now than a couple of weeks ago that Bain will fall to the 9th overall spot, he still has to be considered maybe the best-case scenario for the Chiefs in the 1st round.
The Chiefs tied for the 7th-fewest sacks in the NFL last season (35) and need to upgrade off the edge. If they can get a playmaker like Rueben Bain, it could start even unlocking opportunities for others on that defensive front. We know the Kansas City staff loves young edge rusher Ashton Gillotte, and they also paid George Karlaftis, but an impact player like Rueben Bain would be as good as it gets from this rookie class.
Round 1 | 29th overall: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
The closer we get to the NFL Draft, the more it feels like we could see three safeties fly off the board in the 1st. That would be uncommon based on what we've seen in recent years, but the Chiefs have every reason to participate in the renaissance of the position.
Bryan Cook left for the Bengals in free agency, and the Chiefs lost Justin Reid to the Saints last offseason. They've had a mass exodus of the defensive backfield in the last two offseasons, especially this year, so they need to start somewhere.
In terms of value, they might not be able to get anyone better at cornerback or safety than the big, physical presence of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren here late in the 1st.
There are plenty of different player combinations the Chiefs could look at in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but getting Rueben Bain and one of the top defensive backs on their board would almost certainly fit in the best-case scenario category to reload on that side of the ball, which is desperately needed.