Kansas City Chiefs Day 2 Mock Draft: Brett Veach’s clues lead to continued defensive investments in 2026 NFL Draft
What direction will the Kansas City Chiefs go in Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft? Brett Veach may have already dropped some clues about what they might decide to do with pick No. 40.
The Kansas City Chiefs added two talented defenders on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft: LSU CB Mansoor Delane and Clemson DT Peter Woods.
Will the Chiefs continue to invest in the defense on Day 2, or will they pivot back to the offense? Brett Veach dropped some hints during his Round 1 media availability.
“I think you guys kind of know the direction we’re in,” Veach said. “We’re going to continue to add to the defensive line, and if we can get some more edge help, for sure. But again, we’re not going to shy away from offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and there are some talented receivers on the board. I don’t like being in this position. Don’t want to be in this position again. But it is a lot better to come back tomorrow and to be picking right out of the gate again. Typically used to waiting and seeing a handful of guys that aren’t going to be there. This is a little more exciting for us…”
Mansoor Delane and Peter Woods Quick Facts
- Mansoor Delane began his career at Virginia Tech, but was a one-year starter at LSU. There, he became their 14th unanimous All-American selection and first since Joe Burrow.
- Peter Woods earned Freshman All-American honors in 2023 and All-ACC honors in each of the last two seasons at Clemson.
Edge rusher looks ripe for the taking at pick No. 40, and I choose…
After looking over the best remaining players for Kansas City, and running a simulation on the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Simulator, I tend to think that the Chiefs aren’t going to wait any longer on edge rusher. They no longer have pick No. 74 after the Mansoor Delane trade, so it feels like a now-or-never moment to get an impact player at the position. The good news is that there seems to be a strong pocket of players available to Kansas City.
In my simulation, three edge rushers came off the board before K.C. came on the clock. Clemson’s T.J. Parker came off the board at pick No. 33 to the San Francisco 49ers. Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell went to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 34. Oklahoma’s R. Mason Thomas went to the Cleveland Browns at No. 39. That left me with the options of Mizzou’s Zion Young, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, Michigan’s Derrick Moore, Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, and Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton.
I ended up settling on Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas, who is another 21-year-old defender. At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, he’s got a ton of production to his name with 33.5 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, and seven forced fumbles in his career. He plays with a nastiness and effort that will absolutely work opposite George Karlaftis. He’s got some work to do as an edge-setter and run defender, but he’s got the build and football IQ to put it together at the next level.
What about a trade down from pick No. 40 to collect extra picks?
I think this would be a wise decision for Kansas City to recoup some of the draft capital lost on Thursday night. I just think it might be risky. If you’re sitting at 40 and only one edge comes off the board between 33 and your pick, you might consider it. The problem is that teams like the Cincinnati Bengals (41), New Orleans Saints (42), and Miami Dolphins (43) also have needs at edge rusher. So, trading back outside of those picks would also be a pretty big risk where you might miss out on your guy. I tend to think you bite the bullet and stay at pick 40 to make sure you get your edge rusher. At the same time, Brett Veach said the team met with virtually every edge rusher in this draft class. Perhaps they’ve got a late-round steal in mind?
What could a Day 3 mock draft look like for the Chiefs?
Pick No. 109: Miami OT Markell Bell
21-year-old mammoth of a human that didn’t allow a single sack on over 500 pass-blocking snaps last year. I know Veach said that the O-Line stuff in Round 1 was a smokescreen, but this could make a lot of sense.
Pick No. 169: Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell
6-foot-5 and 216 pounds with 4.31 speed, a 42-inch vertical, and a 134-inch broad jump? Not sure he lasts to this pick, but he is super raw. Maybe Veach thinks Chad O’Shea could mold him into the next Randy Moss.
Pick No. 176: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
A back with good pass-pro and short-yardage capabilities. It’s not a major need, but it could really help solidify that position group going forward.
Pick No. 210: Utah LB Lander Barton
An old-school linebacker with NFL bloodlines who played for Utah? This guy feels destined to join Andy Reid and the Chiefs.
