The best move for Kansas City would be to trade down and acquire more picks. In this scenario, they stick and add another pass rusher.

A sneaky need for the Chiefs is at receiver, where they have only two players under contract beyond 2026 (Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals). This draft fell in a positive way, then, with Tate the first receiver off the board. He's a good team fit, as well. The Chiefs typically target run-after-catch guys, but too often last year, they were in need of an outside receiver who could create route separation and be a contested-catch option. Tate — he most often draws George Pickens comps from draft analysts — would be a welcome addition for new receivers coach Chad O'Shea, while also giving Patrick Mahomes a QB-friendly option for years to come.

Carnell Tate was always overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State, but that's more about Smith than Tate. After all, Chris Olave and Emeka Egbuka were often overshadowed by other Buckeyes receivers, and they've turned out pretty well. Tate is smooth in everything he does. He's not a burner and isn't overly special after the catch, but he gets open routinely.

Here's something you don't see every year. The Chiefs had a top-10 pick for the first time since they took Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Of course, they traded up to do so, so you'd have to go back to 2013 for the last time the Chiefs were in the top 10 by way of their record (they took OT Eric Fisher at No. 1 that year).

After losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson in March via a trade and free agency, respectively, the cornerback room was in rough shape Thursday morning. By Thursday night, things looked a lot better. The Chiefs traded a third- and fifth-round pick to move up to No. 6 overall to land Mansoor Delane, the clear CB1 in this class. Was the trade-up necessary? I'm not sure Delane would have made it to No. 9, but he was 14th on my board. No other cornerback went in the top 20.

Delane is an instinctive, technically sound cover man who creates turnovers (eight interceptions over four years) and limits production (3.3 yards allowed per attempt, fourth in the FBS). He starts at one spot for the K.C. defense, while Nohl Williams likely takes the other and free agent addition Kader Kohou takes over the slot. Kansas City has now maximized a few CBs on rookie deals in McDuffie and L'Jarius Sneed before moving on before contract No. 2 and drafting their replacements. Can Delane be the next standout in line -- and will he make it to a second deal in Kansas City?

The R Mason Thomas pick made sense, too. Kansas City was tied for 22nd in sacks last season with 35, and George Karlaftis (six) was the only edge rusher to have at least four. That was Karlaftis' lowest total since he was a rookie in 2022. Thomas had 15.5 sacks over the past two years, showing good bend and hand usage. He can get offensive tackles leaning, and then he can beat them with either speed or power. If Felix Anudike-Uzomah comes back healthy from his hamstring injury, Chris Jones turns more pressures into sacks on the interior and Thomas hits, this could be a solid pass rush.

That scenario gets even better if Peter Woods finds a way to translate his potential into production. He's a disruptive 3-technique but managed just two sacks last season. If Steve Spagnuolo can unlock his upside, look out.

I'll also call out the Emmett Johnson pick. Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL and needs more playmakers. While Kansas City didn't address WR until No. 176 with Cyrus Allen, it did add an impact pass-catching back in Johnson. He ran for 1,451 yards last season, but he's going to factor in on third down, too. Johnson caught 85 passes over 2024-25.

We've seen this movie before — four years ago, when K.C. surrendered a known commodity (WR Tyreek Hill) in order to get younger and address multiple positions through a draft youth movement. Ironically, CB Trent McDuffie, the first player the Chiefs chose in 2022 and later a key component of the dynasty, was spun off to the Rams this year for a second slot in Round 1. Also noteworthy, GM Brett Veach and HC Andy Reid did little in the draft to directly help QB Patrick Mahomes, who ended last season on injured reserve with a shredded knee after spending most of 2025 running for his life. Nevertheless, this year's top four selections were all invested defensively, Mansoor Delane (6th overall) widely viewed as the draft's top corner and an immediate replacement for McDuffie. Peter Woods (Round 1), R Mason Thomas (Round 2) and Jadon Canady (Round 4) add further juice and depth to the defense ... though it remains to be seen if that means an immediate Lombardi Trophy, which McDuffie, George Karlaftis and others helped to deliver instantly in 2022.