Chiefs 4-round 2026 NFL mock draft: Patrick Mahomes gets his new Travis Kelce and KC boosts defense’s potential
The Chiefs improve their roster in a massive way during latest 4-round mock draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in a spot they are not used to at all. They don’t have Patrick Mahomes after tearing his ACL. Travis Kelce’s career may be coming to a close rather soon. The depth of roster has glaring issues that are showing up way too often down the stretch.
Accordingly, the 2026 NFL Draft will play a massive role in keeping the ship afloat and competing next season. What could a possible 4-round scenario for a mock draft look like for the Chiefs, given their current draft slot after 16 weeks of play? Let’s walk through one that boosts the offense’s potential and fills defensive needs.
Kansas City Chiefs 4-round NFL mock draft
Round 1, Pick 12: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Chiefs land the top running back in the class and the country here. We haven’t seen Mahomes with this sort of talent in the backfield in his entire pro career. KC may need to trade up to secure him, but I think it makes all of the sense in the world to make sure they land the ND running back. Love’s burst, contact balance, and receiving ability all bode incredibly well for his first NFL team.
Round 2, Pick 43: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
The Chiefs have been seeking pass rush help for what seems like five years in a row. Even with some impressive defensive line play in that span, they’ve wanted more consistency off the edge, but it hasn’t come to fruition. Thomas plays with such an aggressive nature that I believe would pair nicely with the veteran talent upfront for the Chiefs.
Round 3, Pick 74: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
This is such an intriguing fit to me. Travis Kelce may be playing his final season, and while, Stowers should not be expected to fill those shoes immediately, he has the play style to produce early and often for the Chiefs offense. He’s arguably the top receiver at the TE position in this draft, along with Kenyon Sadiq. Stowers is fun to watch after the catch at his size, too.
Round 4, Pick 112: Keionte Scott, CB, Miami (FL)
Scott’s ceiling as a prospect is an exciting slot cornerback in the pros, and I truly believe he has a route to get there if he lands in the correct spot. He’s an athletic guy on the back end who plays with a consistent motor. He won’t be outworked, and he isn’t afraid to tackle in the run game. Makes plenty of sense here for the Chiefs early on day three.
I talked to A to Z’s own Justin Churchill about this mock draft outcome, and he offered some valuable feedback. Check out his reaction to these picks below.
“The Kansas City Chiefs need all of the things listed in this mock draft, and getting the positional value they got in this mock draft would be huge. Patrick Mahomes has never had a dynamic running back in his career. Giving him the best running back in college football this past season would be a Christmas gift he’d receive in April.
R Mason Thomas isn’t the prototypical Steve Spagnuolo edge rusher, but there aren’t many in this draft class who are. Thomas is one of the best all-around pass rushers in the class, and KC really needs someone who can win in a few different ways, whether that be power, speed, twitch, or being technically sound. This last season, Chris Jones and George Karlaftis were really the only two guys to win consistently. Both of them primarily win by power. Getting a guy like Thomas would be huge for this defense.
Stowers would be a great Travis Kelce replacement, and getting the type of pass-catcher he is at that point in the draft would only benefit the Chiefs. It’s about time they take this possibility of Kelce retiring seriously and actually go and get a tight end who could play valuable snaps in year one. As for Keionte Scott, the Chiefs will desperately need a cornerback, especially as they have expiring contracts, and who could be on the outside looking in. They nailed the selection with Nohl Williams last season, even though he does have some things to work on. Now, let’s see if they can nail this pick for another cornerback.” — Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports
How do you feel about this mock draft scenario for KC’s future? Let us know via social media!
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