The Kansas City Chiefs are weighing all their options with their No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A ton of things are in play — including several different position groups, trading down, and trading up.
The Chiefs need to add multiple impact players from the draft if they’re going to return to being a Super Bowl contender this upcoming season. They have the opportunity to do so, as they own a total of nine selections.
Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Named ‘Ideal Pick’ for Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9
GettyMiami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report recently name his ideal draft picks for every team in the first round. He chose Bain for the Chiefs, urging them to take him as quickly as possible if he is still available when they hit the clock.
“The arm-length discussion regarding Rueben Bain Jr. borders on absurd. Would everyone like Bain to have longer levers than he does? Absolutely. Do those less-than-ideal appendages take away how dominant he was this past season for the Miami Hurricanes? Absolutely not. Aside from Fernando Mendoza leading Indiana’s fairytale national championship run, no collegiate player performed at a higher level than Bain last year. He was a disruptive force at all times. The Kansas City Chiefs should take about 0.01 second to made a decision if he remains on the board with the ninth overall pick. Kansas City experienced a significant downturn this past season. Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending injury is only part of the discussion. Despite featuring a top-10 defense last season, the Chiefs ranked among the league’s bottom 10 in sacks. George Karlaftis requires a legitimate bookend, and Bain is a true three-down defender.”
Bain has been mocked to the Chiefs as much as any other prospect during the pre-draft process. One of their biggest roster needs is for an edge rusher, and they hosted Bain on a top-30 visit. He has all the physical gifts you want in a pass rusher, and utilizes them by playing with a high motor. Last season at Miami he recorded 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Why Would Chiefs Overthink Draft Rueben Bain Jr.?
Kansas City and Bain do seem like a great match in a lot of ways. However, there are some red flags. As Sobleski touched on, Bain’s arm length and overall size has been hotly debated. Many feel as though that is a non-issue, but it should be noted that Chiefs Steve Spagnuolo has preferred larger defensive ends throughout his career as a defensive coordinator.
Another reason Kansas City may think twice about drafting Bain are his off-the-field incidents. Bain was involved in an auto accident back in 2024, which resulted in one of his passengers dying. Later in 2025, he received a citation for careless driving. The Chiefs and the rest of the NFL knew about these incidents much earlier than when they became public.
They have certainly discussed them with Bain extensively. If the Chiefs do end up selecting him, it will mean they feel very comfortable that there was no wrongdoing by Bain and that the situations were handled properly.
Chiefs Urged Not to Overthink if Polarizing Prospect Is Available at No. 9