The Kansas City Chiefs did not have the season many expected last year, and although much of it can be blamed on star QB Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending injury, the roster had glaring issues.
One need that stood out was the pass rush, and with getting back to competing being a priority, this needed to be fixed.
Mel Kiper Links Chiefs to Rueben Bain Jr. With Top-10 Pick
With the Chiefs having a bad season in 2025, they are selecting in the top-10 of the NFL Draft. At pick 9, the Chiefs will have some great options to choose from, but because the team should not be selecting this early again in the near future, positional value could be a major focus.
The 2026 Draft is considered weaker because of the overall QB class and the lack of top-end talent. There are not many clear top-tier prospects, which has caused many less prioritized positions to skyrocket to the top of the class.
For example, LB Sonny Styles, S Caleb Downs, and RB Jeremiyah Love are all probably going to be selected higher in this draft than if they were in other classes.
Instead of going with one of those players if available, the Chiefs may look to add a higher-valued position, such as a pass rusher. Doing this would help upgrade one of the Chiefs’ weaknesses, and according to Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr, and here is the analysis for the pick:
“After trading Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson in free agency, cornerback need some repairs. LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy have to be considerations here. But remember, the Chiefs now have two first-round picks. And Bain would be very tough to pass up at this spot.”
“Despite 30â…ž-inch arms that caused quite the stir at the combine, Bain is dominant off the edge. He simply finds ways to get to the QB, whether it’s with his speed, power or savviness. He had 71 pressures last season en route to 9.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.”
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As Kiper mentioned, after the Chiefs made the Trent McDuffie trade before free agency, CB is a major need for the team, and the two best options in the draft were still available.
Still, with the Chiefs having the Los Angeles Rams’ selection (#29), they can select one there, and Kiper did, choosing South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse.
Regarding the Bain Jr. selection, the Chiefs’ defense would be immediately upgraded, and putting him next to star DT Chris Jones would strike fear in any offensive line in the NFL. Last season, Bain Jr. was ranked 15th in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Metric.
Bain Jr. will have the versatility to line up throughout the defensive line, and although arm length is a concern, the Chiefs’ making this selection would signal they do not care about that issue.
