Kansas City Chiefs gifts Patrick Mahomes a new offensive weapon, add pass rush upgrades in latest 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft

The Kansas City Chiefs are off to an up and down start to the 2025 season. The 2026 NFL Draft will offer a chance to plug several roster holes.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love runs down the sidelines on his way to score a touchdown during the second half of a NCAA football game against Purdue at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in South Bend.

The Kansas City Chiefs are fresh off a Super Bowl loss and have gotten off to a very slow start in the 2025 NFL season, currently sitting with a 2-3 overall record. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been playing good football, but the team has been showing that they have some kinks in its armor. There are clearly some roster holes that need to be addressed.

While the odds are that head coach Andy Reid and the Chiefs staff will get this figured out and turned around, it’s never too early to look ahead for ways to find answers to those roster questions. The 2026 NFL Draft is a long way off, but it can provide some of those answers. That includes a dynamic new offensive weapon for Mahomes to utilize.

Round 1, Pick 15: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame 

The Jeremiyah Love-Chiefs pairing isn’t one I’ve seen much, but it could be a marriage that makes a lot of sense. Isiah Pacheco hasn’t been overly good this season, and Love is an elite talent staring at you in the face. At 6-0 and 214 pounds, the Missouri native has the combination of explosion, elusiveness, and power to jumpstart the rushing attack. Love is also an impressive athlete, which quarterback Patrick Mahomes will love. 

Round 2, Pick 46: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma 

R Mason Thomas is not typically the type of pass rusher that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo gravitates towards, but his ability on third down is just too good to pass up on in this spot. While Thomas lacks great size and length, he has loads of explosiveness and bend to consistently finish at the quarterback. 

Round 3, Pick 77: DJ McKinney, CB, Colorado 

Long and fluid, McKinney is well-liked in NFL circles. He needs to continue to get stronger and better at playing the football down the field, but there are building blocks to work with. McKinney fits the profile the team typically likes opposite Trent McDuffie. 

Round 4, Pick 116: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois 

Jacas is more of the power EDGE that Coach Spagnuolo typically likes. At around 275 pounds, Jacas also has the frame to eventually evolve into the Tershawn Wharton role in the Chiefs’ defense. While Jacas may never be a high-volume sack artist, he should be a dominant run defender with inside-outside rush versatility. 

Round 5, Pick 154: Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma 

What Burks lacks in size at around 5-9, he makes up for with explosiveness and after-catch ability. The former Purdue standout has struggled with durability over the past couple of years, but he can create big plays when he’s on the field. The Chiefs are in favor of the space game, something that Burks majors in. 

Round 5, Pick 178: Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati 

There isn’t anything overly flashy about Royer, but he is an incredibly efficient football player. He has really strong hands and excellent ball skills to make plays in the air. The former Ohio State tight end is also a good enough athlete to create the occasional explosive play.

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