The Kansas City Chiefs are not used to picking this high. After a rare 6-11 season, Andy Reid’s team finds itself holding the No. 9 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. That alone changes the conversation.
With roster holes to address and Patrick Mahomes still in his prime, this pick could shape the franchise’s next chapter. And one name keeps surfacing around league circles: Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Caleb Downs Emerging as Top Target for Chiefs
According to PFSN’s Jacob Infante, Downs may be the best player in the class. “As of this writing, Caleb Downs is my top overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft,” Infante wrote. “He’s the real deal.”
And he’s not the only one praising Downs. Multiple NFL scouts told Dane Brugler of The Athletic that Downs is the best safety prospect they have “ever” evaluated. At 21 years old, the former Buckeye checks nearly every box.
In 2025, Downs recorded 68 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and a sack in 14 games. He finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting. He was a unanimous All-American for the second straight season. A year earlier, he helped lead Ohio State to a national championship.
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller described him as the “ideal safety prospect,” noting his ability to line up all over the field. “Downs can do it all,” Miller wrote, adding that rival coaches identify Downs pre-snap like a premier pass rusher because of his impact.
That kind of versatility could be valuable in Kansas City. Bryan Cook is headed for free agency. Chamarri Conner did not replicate his 2024 production last season. The Chiefs need playmakers on defense.
There is also a historical context. Since 2017, only one safety has gone inside the top 10: Jamal Adams. The Chiefs themselves last selected a safety that high in 2010 when they drafted Eric Berry. Berry became a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.
Drafting a safety at No. 9 would be bold. But league evaluators believe Downs is worth it.
Of course, safety is often devalued in today’s draft economics. Downs could be selected earlier. He could slip depending on quarterback runs or positional priorities. But if he reaches Kansas City, the Chiefs may not hesitate.
Reid recently spoke about “putting the pieces of the puzzle back together.” Downs might be one of those pieces.
If the board falls the right way, Kansas City could walk away with a cornerstone defender who anchors its secondary for years and signals that this reset is already underway.
