The Kansas City Chiefs are armed with plenty of draft ammunition this year. Thanks to the Trent McDuffie trade — sending the former Chiefs All-Pro cornerback to the Rams for four draft picks, including the No. 29 overall pick in 2026 — Kansas City has nine total picks in the draft, including four in the top 100.
The Chiefs are often connected to cornerbacks, safeties, wide receivers, and edge rushers at No. 9 overall, such as Miami ED Rueben Bain, Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson, LSU CB Mansoor Delane, and Ohio State S Caleb Downs.
But there may be more moves Kansas City can make. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell highlighted the teams in the first round who could make some big moves on draft night. With two first-round picks, the Chiefs are an intriguing team to monitor in that.
Are the Kansas City Chiefs a Trade-Up Candidate?
GettyANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 29: Arvell Reese #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in action against Giovanni el-Hadi #58 of the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“The Chiefs are not going to have this chance very often, are they?” Barnwell wrote. “Picking at No. 9, the Chiefs can land a player who projects to offer significant upside at a premium position. Coach Andy Reid had to trade two first-round picks to move up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017, and though they appear to have landed a standout left tackle in Josh Simmons, it required taking a leap of faith on a player coming off a serious injury.”
“Picks on the most premium positions late in Round 1 in recent years have delivered players such as George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Xavier Worthy — guys who have ranged from solid to disappointing. It’s entirely possible to land standouts in that range, but it’s always going to be easier to hit on players at the most difficult positions in football if you’re picking in the top 10.”
One player the Chiefs could look to move up for is Ohio State LB Arvell Reese. Rumored to be one of the few players in this draft who could prompt a trade-up, the Chiefs would be a fantastic landing spot for the superstar athlete. Reese’s ability to play off-ball or as an edge rusher grants him significant versatility, and there are so many ways Kansas City DC Steve Spagnuolo could use him.
Other Players the Kansas City Chiefs Could Jump Up the Board to Draft
“At No. 9, the Chiefs could stay put and hope that one of those players at premium positions like wide receiver or edge rusher fall to them,” Barnwell continued. “Armed with extra draft capital from the Trent McDuffie trade, though, this might be an opportunity for general manager Brett Veach to go big.”
“I wouldn’t want to sacrifice that No. 29 pick altogether, but if the Chiefs can use that along with No. 9 to move up and then land another Day 2 pick as part of a deal, it might give them a chance at the sort of pass-rushing prospect they wouldn’t normally see at the bottom of Round 1, such as Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Drafting a player out of Tech didn’t go too poorly the last time the Chiefs tried it, right?”
Chiefs Urged to Make Bold Draft Day Move After Trent McDuffie Trade