Oct 6, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Chiefs Fans Will Love Who Fixes Their Biggest Need in New Mock

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 11:00 AM ET

For the most part, the Kansas City Chiefs have returned to form and looked like premier Super Bowl contenders in the past couple of weeks. With dominant wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and Detroit Lions, they've set themselves up to bounce back from their perilous start and reclaim their seat atop the AFC throne.

Rashee Rice's debut went as well as they could've asked, and the ceiling for their offense is exponentially higher now that Patrick Mahomes has all of his weapons at his disposal. Their defense has had its moments of shine, but this is the one area of the Chiefs' roster that has some question marks moving forward.

2026 NFL Mock Draft

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Mike Renner is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he released his third iteration of a 2026 NFL mock draft. For the Chiefs, their run blocking and defensive line play have been inconsistent in 2025, which is why they're predicted to draft a defensive lineman, Kayden McDonald.

"McDonald is the best pure run defender in the draft class. He holds up so well against double teams for only a third-year player. For a Chiefs defense that's had some issues vs. the run this year, McDonald would solve those", said Renner.

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McDonald stands at 6'3" and weighs a whopping 326 pounds! He'd be a force to be reckoned with along the Chiefs' defensive line, as they need someone capable of plugging up rushing lanes and mucking up the line of scrimmage.

McDonald can do that in spades. It's not only his size that makes him worthy of a first-round selection, but his closing speed and arm length enable him to make plays even when he doesn't have the best angle for a sack or tackle.

SACKED!!!

Kayden McDonald takes Demond Williams Jr. down on fourth down! pic.twitter.com/3owcNbjAWg
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) September 27, 2025

The Chiefs defensive line has struggled to contain the run to start 2025, being around the middle of the pack in comparison to other NFL defenses. They're dealing with some injuries that greatly affect their depth, which could explain why they're struggling so much.

McDonald's traits and potential already makes him worth the gamble of selecting him in the first round, but he also provides depth as a rookie, with a chance to blossom into a full time starter throughout the course of the season.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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