The Kansas City Chiefs only have one thing to look forward to for the remainder of the season. They’ll be selecting in the top ten of the upcoming draft, and need to nail their selection in order to extend their dynasty.

Andy Reid has confirmed that he doesn’t plan on retiring this offseason and will come back to coach the Chiefs next season. The same can’t be said about Travis Kelce, but at least the Chiefs know they’ll have a clear direction in 2026. What should the Chiefs do in the 2026 NFL Draft with their rare high selection in the Patrick Mahomes era?

2026 NFL Mock Draft

Ryan Wilson writes for CBS Sports, and he published his fourth iteration of a mock draft reflecting the results of Week 17 in the NFL. The Chiefs improved their draft stock with a loss against the Denver Broncos, but they remain picking at number nine. With that pick, Wilson predicts they select a flashy playmaker in Jeremiyah Love.

“Love has legit track speed and high-end acceleration. He can stop on a dime and redirect with rare change-of-direction ability, while playing with good contact balance and the footwork to jump-cut to avoid defenders before hitting the crease”, said Wilson.

What Mahomes has lacked throughout his career with the Chiefs is a dominant running back who can alleviate some of the offensive pressure off of him. Isiah Pacheco’s legs were explosive early on in his career, but injuries have bogged him down, and he’s no longer the same type of player.

Coming back from a serious injury like an ACL tear, it’s important that the Chiefs ease Mahomes back into the swing of things instead of relying on him to carry them offensively. Mahomes was the glue that made this offense stick, as shown by how poor they are under Chris Oladokun or even Gardner Minshew’s limited snaps.

Love may not have won the Heisman trophy, but he’s now part of an elite list of running backs who were finalists for the award. Love’s tape screams that he’s a premier offensive talent, and if his body control and acceleration hold up in the NFL, it’s going to be scary with him in an offense shared with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.

The Chiefs had no way of efficiently running the ball this season, and the over-reliance on Mahomes’ arm explains why they’re out of the playoffs. If they have a threat rushing the ball, defenses will have to make a decision instead of playing back and watching Mahomes as he tries to find a receiver with separation.