The Kansas City Chiefs are three weeks away from making their first of two first-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the No. 9 overall selection, general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid are in a terrific spot to acquire ample talent early in the draft to increase their hopes of reaching the postseason.

As collegiate Pro Day begins to ramp down, I thought it would be a great time to share a brand-new mock draft for the Chiefs. This time, I’m designating it as a “what would I do” mock draft to showcase how I would approach each selection in the first four rounds of the draft for Kansas City. Let’s make the armchair general manager’s dream come true.

Round 1, No. 9 overall: Caleb Downs, safety, Ohio State

This is as simple as it gets for me: when the best player in the entire draft class is available for the taking, it should be a no-brainer every time. Rueben Bain Jr. and Carnell Tate were on the board here, but it was hard to ignore the gifted, transcendent talent that is Caleb Downs, who can play any role on the back seven with rare football intelligence and instincts to pair with elite athleticism. Downs makes the entire Chiefs defense better, regardless of the positional value.

Round 1, No. 29 overall (via Los Angeles Rams): Malachi Lawrence, edge rusher, UCF Knights

I argued recently that Malachi Lawrence is the man to potentially help the Chiefs with their biggest roster hole. He has the build, length, and athleticism to pair with a high-upside pass-rush bag that is arguably the best amongst all edge rushers in the NFL Draft, and has the frame to be a stout run defender down the road. This isn’t another Felix Anudike-Uzomah, as Lawrence knows how to win off the edge despite a lack of bend and the need for a better plan of attack.

Round 2, No. 40 overall: Antonio Williams, wide receiver, Clemson Tigers

For the past few weeks, I have been screaming at the top of my lungs that Williams is a Kansas City Chief. He fits exactly what the Chiefs are looking for at wide receiver without fully compromising the past requisite traits for being a potential wideout within Reid’s offense, which has been speed and more speed.

Williams is a standout route-runner with terrific nuance, paired with excellent hands and quality run-after-catch skills to make him a go-to playmaker for quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields.

Round 3, No. 74 overall: Will Lee III, cornerback, Texas A&M Aggies

The cornerback room in Kansas City is less-than-ideal, with Kristian Fulton, Nohl Williams, and Kader Kohou as the top defenders at the position. There is a lot of hope for Williams, but I would love to see him paired with another fun press-man defender who could hear his name called within the first 100 selections. Lee fits the Chiefs defensive requisites at cornerback to a tee and would see the field often as a rookie.

Round 4, No. 109 overall: Travis Burke, offensive tackle, Memphis Tigers

Another player I have discussed for the Chiefs as a potential later-round target is Burke, a monster at right tackle who is listed at 6-foot-8, 325 pounds with an 83-inch wingspan. I want to see a mountain on the right side of the Chiefs’ offensive line alongside Trey Smith, and Burke is no major developmental talent either. He is a sneaky tackle prospect with impressive movement skills and leg drive for his size.