
UCLA gets commitment from four-star defensive lineman George Toia
UCLA secures commitment from four-star defensive lineman George Toia!
The Kansas City Chiefs are set to enhance their defensive line following the 2026 NFL Draft, marking a significant shift after a disappointing season. This is the first time since 2014 that the Chiefs missed the playoffs, leading to a top 10 draft pick.
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Chiefs Getting Much-Needed Boost To Defensive Line After 2026 NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs found itself in an unusual position last year, winning just six games and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Not only was that unusual, considering it was the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era that the team didnāt play extra football, but it was unusual to see the Chiefs having a top 10 pick in the National Football League draft this past week.
The last time that happened was 2017, when the Chiefs traded up from the 27th overall pick to select Mahomes, and it changed the franchise in so many ways. Kansas City was bad enough to land inside the top 10 all by itself, and there are several reasons why.
Offensively, the running game provided little to no support for Mahomes and the passing game, making it easier to stop Kansas Cityās attack. The team couldnāt generate explosive runs and it was obvious that teams were selling out for the pass throughout games, forcing Mahomes to beat them through the air.
The Chiefs appear to have solved this problem by signing the reigning Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $43.05 million deal that can be up to $45 million with incentives. Walker was a force for Seattle, especially when fellow running back Zach Charbonnet went down with injury during the divisional round of the playoffs. He will be an excellent addition to this team.
Defensively, the team lacked an effective pass-rush which allowed other teams to work through plays in structure way too often. Kansas City made some depth signings that should improve the defensive line, but that problem was mostly addressed through the draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is expected to provide the Chiefs with key players to strengthen their defensive line, addressing weaknesses from the previous season.
The Chiefs missed the playoffs due to a disappointing season, winning only six games, which was a significant drop from their usual performance.
The last time the Chiefs had a top 10 pick was in 2017, when they traded up to select Patrick Mahomes.

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According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Chiefs had the most improved defensive line following the draft after selecting Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods and Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas.
āIn addition to upgrading its secondary, Kansas City made a concerted effort to retool its defensive line,ā PFFās Bradley Locker wrote Saturday.
The Chiefs traded up from No. 9 to No. 6 and selected LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to help solidify the secondary after its two starting corners departed via trade and free agency, but many believed the team would go after Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. because of how bad the pass-rush was a season ago.
In the trade that sent star CB Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City acquired the 29th overall pick and selected Woods. Then, with its 40th overall pick, it drafted Thomas, and both figure to tremendously boost the D-line.
āEven with Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, the Chiefs recorded the 23rd overall PFF grade for defensive lines in 2025, partly due to finishing with the 19th-ranked pass-rush win rate. Those numbers should augment after selecting Clemsonās Peter Woods (career 75.3 PFF pass-rush grade) and Oklahomaās R Mason Thomas (90.4 pass-rush grade in 2025).ā
The Chiefs were tied for the fifth-fewest sacks (35) in 2025 and couldnāt consistently get home to opposing quarterbacks.