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Kansas City Chiefs land Rashee Rice insurance, much-needed defensive line help in the latest 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft
© Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Kansas City Chiefs land Rashee Rice insurance, much-needed defensive line help in the latest 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Justin Churchill  |  Last updated Feb 19, 2026 4:37 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs, and every other team, are getting ready for the 2026 NFL Draft Combine here very soon. The Chiefs won’t have as much cap space to work with this offseason as they might like, which means the draft will be very important.

So, before we start seeing some of these elite prospects really show off what they can do physically and meet with teams in interviews, let’s get one more mock draft in. This time, I teamed up with A to Z Kansas City’s Charles Goldman.

Chiefs 7-Round NFL Mock Draft

Round 1, Pick 9: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

The Chiefs could be without Rashee Rice for a period next season amid recent off-field issues. Not to mention, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton, and Nikko Remigio are all free agents. Kansas City needs to draft at least one wide receiver, as Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals are the only two WRs under contract long-term. Mahomes needs some weapons, and in this mock draft, Carnell Tate went to the Tennessee Titans and Makai Lemon went to the New York Giants. The next best wide receiver, or maybe the best wide receiver of them all, is Tyson. The ASU WR had 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2025 after missing three games. Not to mention, his star quarterback missed a ton of the season. In 2024, he had over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. Tyson is an elite route runner and has great YAC ability for his size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He can separate with the best of them. This will be your new No. 1 WR, so long as he can overcome health concerns. - Justin Churchill

Round 2, Pick 40: Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor

If he weren’t a sixth-year senior and a 25-year-old rookie, Mesidor would be a surefire first-round draft pick in my eyes. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 273 pounds, boasting real power, bend, and a non-stop motor. He’s got that relentless, dogged playstyle that the Chiefs have really lacked ever since Frank Clark left. There were times this past season that he outplayed his counterpart, Reuben Bain Jr., who is widely considered a top-10 pick in this draft class. His 20.8% pass rush win rate in 2025 is third behind only Bain and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. His ability as a run defender makes him a Day 1 contributor in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, but his edge rush toolkit could really go a long way toward jump-starting the pass rush in Kansas City. - Charles Goldman

Round 3, Pick 74: Iowa OT Gennings Dunker

At 6’5, 315 pounds, Dunker played every single snap in 2025 at right tackle. The Chiefs may be letting starting RT Jawaan Taylor go, as he would save nearly $20 million in cap space. They need another tackle and possibly depth at guard. With only six draft picks, I could see them grabbing someone who’s versatile. Dunker gave up just two sacks this last season and seven hurries in a conference with some dominant defensive lines. - Justin Churchill

Round 4, Pick 104: TCU S Bud Clark

The safety position is an underrated need for Kansas City, but especially so if Bryan Cook isn’t retained in free agency. Clark feels like a Steve Spagnuolo-type prospect, listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, with the versatility and flexibility to play single high, two-man, or in the slot. His football IQ is evident in his ball skills (15 interceptions and 21 passes defended), his run support, one-on-one coverage, and open-field tackling. He is another older prospect, a 23-year-old sixth-year senior, but that’s becoming increasingly common in the age of NIL. - Charles Goldman

Round 5, Pick 146: Oklahoma Sooners DT Gracen Halton

The top end of this draft class for defensive tackles isn’t great. Most of them can’t rush the passer, and that’s exactly what the Chiefs need—someone to take down the guy throwing the ball. Specifically, Halton was one of the best interior pass rushers last season, producing a ton of pressure while recording 3.5 sacks. Some may want to pass on him because he was aided by playing on the best defense in football. Still, his tools are refined, and the 6-foot-2 and 293-pound prospect will be a good NFL player. He showed off what he can do at the Senior Bowl, which will only put him on Brett Veach's radar. - Justin Churchill

Round 5, Pick 176: Wyoming TE John Michael Gyllenborg

A Missouri native who attended Rockhurst, Gyllenborg is a high-upside tight end prospect who is still pretty new to the game. He was a high school basketball player who had only played three games of football before making the jump to college. He boasts elite athleticism at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, landing himself on Bruce Feldman’s annual freaks list. It’s easy to see why when you turn on the tape, as he’s an easy accelerator with fluid movement skills and the ability to threaten vertically. - Charles Goldman

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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