In what seemed like an unprecedented development, the Kansas City Chiefs ended up missing the playoffs after three consecutive trips to the Super Bowl. Add in a season-ending injury to Patrick Mahomes, and their problems were only beginning.
As a result, going into next season, one analyst believes the team needs to target more help and playmakers around their superstar quarterback, rather than expecting him to carry the entire offense on his back.
Kansas City Chiefs Target Top-Flight Wide Receiver for Patrick Mahomes in 2026 Mock Draft
Last year, even before the Mahomes injury, it had been a struggle for the Chiefs to find some consistency. On their way to 6-11, they were assuredly out of the playoff race in a jam-packed AFC.
This season, those problems aren’t going to get any better. While the competition has improved considerably, the two-time MVP is coming off the first major injury of his career. As a result, it remains to be seen which version of the superstar fans they get.
So for this offseason, Kansas City has already made a couple of major moves to the offense. The biggest was signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker before trading for Justin Fields. But their focus on the offense shouldn’t stop there.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, though, the best option for the Chiefs in the 2026 NFL Draft would be to add a star receiver in the first round. In his latest mock draft, he had them pegged as the landing spot for Arizona State product Jordyn Tyson.
Ranked as the second-best wide receiver prospect by PFSN, Tyson received strong praise from Yates. “Tyson is the most explosive wide receiver in the draft and neck and neck with Carnell Tate for WR1 in my rankings. He has very good size, acceleration, unique run-after-catch skills and field-stretching ability.”
The biggest question mark about the Sun Devils product is his complicated injury history. A broken collarbone, a torn ACL, and a hamstring injury last year have all led to him missing significant time. But the upside is still undeniable for the 23rd-ranked player on PFSN’s CFB WR Impact.
Tyson tallied 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns in his four years at the collegiate level. But wide receiver isn’t the only position that the Chiefs need help with. As a result, Alec Elijah of PFSN, in his latest mock draft, has them targeting the other side of the football.
Despite Steve Spagnuolo’s presence, the roster struggled to get to the quarterback, with a legitimate deficit at edge rusher. For Elijah, that is the perfect area for the team to target with the ninth overall pick, where they select Rueben Bain Jr.
“Bain has developed a reputation as one of the most physically imposing pass rushers in the class. His bull rush is a true weapon, consistently overwhelming offensive tackles and collapsing the pocket.”
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Totaling 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss, Bain could form a lethal duo with George Karlaftis, Elijah believes.
It remains to be seen which side the Chiefs prioritize first in the draft. But with the ninth overall pick, they have legitimate options on both sides of the football that could help them, both in the short and long term.
