Debates and speculation are heating up ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Chiefs are linked with possibly drafting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
The Chiefs dramatically fell apart last year, starting poorly and finishing even worse, and now all the attention turns to the draft as they look to reload for next season.
Mike Tannenbaum Says Chiefs Shouldn’t Draft Jordyn Tyson or Kenyon Sadiq
Kansas City has been hard at work this offseason, reloading for a stronger run in 2026 in a division that might be even stronger than last year. Therefore, general manager Brett Veach and the front office should be particularly thorough in constructing the roster. Recklessly throwing draft capital at hyped-up prospects is by no means the answer.
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum similarly believes the franchise should prioritize roster needs over shiny college stars. He spoke about it on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
“I like those players, but I love the fact that I want them to draft a corner,” Tannenbaum said. “I just think it’s really hard to lose three corners — two really good starters in Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie — and I think that’s an urgent need for the Chiefs.”
Watson and McDuffie both ended up at the Los Angeles Rams this offseason; Watson played out his rookie contract with the Chiefs, and McDuffie was traded with one year left on his deal. While the Rams’ secondary will be worth watching this upcoming season, Kansas City is left with a deep hole at cornerback.
As things stand, Kristian Fulton, who started only two games last season, will lead the secondary next to Nohl Williams. The latter started 5 games in his rookie season last year and showed some flashes of brilliance.
Veach and the Chiefs’ top brass could pursue several prospects in the 2026 class next week, including Mansoor Delane, Jermod McCoy, and Avieon Terrell.
Delane leads the position group on most draft boards, having established himself as a prime commodity at LSU. He is currently the best cornerback on PFSN’s Big Board, and has an average draft position of 11.1 on PFSN’s Mock Draft Simulator.
“Delane is as lockdown as lockdown gets in coverage, and it’s a product of his experience, coverage mobility, inherent technical versatility, playmaking propensity, and football IQ,” PFSN’s scouting report on Delane noted. “At 6’0″, 187 pounds, Delane is a fast and fluid mover with great vertical speed, effortless stride variation and sink, and brisk recalibrative twitch. He has boundary-nickel flexibility and is a formidable presence on crack-and-replace blocks in run support.”
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According to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, Kansas City ranked 11th in the league with an impact score of 79.4. For them to remain a borderline top-10 defense in the league, the franchise will need a great draft.
The Chiefs have to be smart about reloading for a playoff push next season, and it’ll be fascinating to see how they dig themselves out of their 6-11 hole.
