
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on acquiring top talent rather than adhering to traditional positional value. General Manager Brett Veach is expected to make trades and may delay selecting an edge rusher until later in the draft.
Our latest mock draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, using the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Simulator, includes multiple trades and an early emphasis on ignoring positional value.
The 2026 NFL Draft is just about a week away.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been doing a good job of keeping their plans tight-lipped, as they wrap up pre-draft visits. Brett Veach has one of the most important NFL Drafts of his career ahead of him, but itāll be a unique challenge as this is a unique draft. Those who tout positional value as king will be left disappointed, but those who follow their gut and just go after good players will be rewarded. Thatāll especially be the case early on in the draft.
There are a few things that I expect from the Chiefs during the draft that I tried to replicate here, using the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Simulator. First, Brett Veach will trade up at some point. I wouldnāt put it past him to target someone in the middle of Round 1 and use pick No. 29 to move up even further. Second, I wonāt be shocked if the team waits to draft an edge rusher until after Day 1. I know the hit rate lessens, but there are a lot of guys who fit what they like in that second-round pocket of players.
The first eight picks went as follows:
In this scenario, I think the choice is clearly Downs. I believe heāll be one of the true impact players to emerge from the top of this draft class. The positional value might not be there for other clubs, but everyone knows how important the safety position is in Steve Spagnuoloās defense. It thrives when they have savvy, instinctive players. When you look at the Chiefsā safety room right now, it really lacks that type of player. Downs can be that guy.
Heās plenty versatile in that he can be used as a deep safety, strong safety, or even a nickel corner. That last part is important because I am not sure the Chiefs have a true solution there right now. Downs can erase tight ends in man coverage. His downhill trigger in the run game is phenomenal. Heās got a nose for the football with six interceptions, 12 passes defended, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries in three years.
All heās done is rack up awards during his college career, whether at Alabama or Ohio State. SEC Freshman of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2025. Maybe he can add Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2026.
Trade terms: Panthers receive picks Nos. 29 and 74 for pick No. 19.
Sadiq being in Kansas City for a pre-draft visit on the same day that Travis Kelce signed his contract extension doesnāt feel like a coincidence. I wouldnāt be surprised if the Chiefs really like Sadiq and envision him as more of an offensive weapon than just a traditional tight end.
At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, Sadiqās 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine landed him in the 99th percentile among tight ends. If I compare his athletic testing as a wide receiver in the A to Z Sports Athletic Composite, he begins to look more like Calvin Johnson.
Trade terms: Chiefs receive picks Nos. 49 and 97 for No. 40.
I couldāve stayed at pick No. 40, but I felt like there were enough cornerbacks, edge rushers, and receivers on the board to move down. In doing so, I got a third-round pick back, and I still managed to get a very good pass rusher. At 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Moore had 10 sacks and a 36% pass rush win rate in 2025. He was a standout at the Senior Bowl and plays with the type of tenacity that the Chiefs could really use at the edge rusher position right now.
Some might view this as a reach, but I see Bell as a top-100 pick. The reality is that only 7 prospects measured with arms 34 inches or longer at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Brett Veach has drafted a lot of offensive tackles since taking over in 2017, but none with arms shorter than 34 inches. Bell is listed at 6-foot-9 and 346 pounds, and heās surprisingly nimble and light on his feet. The crazy thing is that heās only 21. He started 16 games at left tackle last season, but Iād feel comfortable putting him on the right side if I were Kansas City. He could even probably play the swing tackle role if you feel confident in Jaylon Moore at right tackle.
The cornerback room needs an infusion of talent, and Demmings is a solid late-round target for Kansas City. The FCS star tested well ahead of the draft with a 4.41s 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical, and an 11-foot broad jump. Demmings was First-Team All-Southland Conference in 2025, finishing his career with 26 pass breakups and nine interceptions. He fits the outside cornerback mold for Steve Spagnuolo, with a makeup perfect for the press-man looks he likes to run on the perimeter.
The Chiefs value special teams more highly than other NFL clubs. Last season, they werenāt good in the kick return or punt return game, but Brown could help them fix that. The 5-foot-11 and 190-pound receiver holds theĀ SEC record forĀ career kickoff returns for a touchdown, finishing his collegiate career with six. He had five at Kentucky and one at LSU. Donāt let the special teams prowess fool you, though. Brown had 175 receptions for over 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns throughout his career.
I like the idea of pairing former college teammates Benny and Moore on the defensive line. At 6-foot-3 and 298 pounds, Benny left a strong impression on Kansas City at the Senior Bowl. He hasnāt started a lot of games, but heās already proven himself as an elite rotational defender in college. If he can add to his pass-rush repertoire in the NFL, the sky is the limit.
Another Senior Bowl standout, who worked directly with Chiefs defensive quality control coach Chris Orr. At 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds, heās instinctive, with an impressive downhill trigger. Heās not someone you want matched up in man coverage, but if heās in zone and can keep the play in front of him, heās a major standout.
Iāve taken Heldman before in a mock draft, but this time I grabbed him a round later:
Hits all of the traditional Spags thresholds at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds. He also boasts one of the best true pass rush win rates (40.4) in the 2026 NFL Draft, behind only Nadame Tucker. He made First-Team All-MAC in 2025, boasting 16.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. High effort and motor player.
Brett Veach is focusing on acquiring the best players available rather than sticking to positional value and is expected to make trades during the draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to occur in just about a week.
The Chiefs may wait to draft an edge rusher until after Day 1 due to a larger pool of suitable players available in the second round.
The Chiefs are likely to use pick No. 29 to trade up in the draft, targeting a player in the middle of Round 1.

Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
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