What FanDuel odds tell us about 2026 NFL Draft and Chiefs’ No. 9 pick

My takeaway

It’s important to note that the odds are for the player to be selected with the ninth-overall pick, not necessarily to be picked by the Chiefs. That said, there is logic to the odds-on favorites here being linked to Kansas City. Delane and Bain are two of the top players at their positions in the class, and they fill up glaring holes in the roster for the short and long term. The ninth-overall pick was also the most likely top-10 slot for each, according to the lines.

Odds to be selected in the top 10

• Linebacker Sonny Styles, Ohio State (-2500)
• Caleb Downs (-650)
• Carnell Tate (-550)
• Jordyn Tyson (-320)
• Francis Mauigoa (-270)
• Rueben Bain Jr. (-165)
• Spencer Fano (-130)
• Mansoor Delane (-120)

My takeaways

The first thing that jumped out from the list was how low the odds were for Tyson, a player who has been heavily linked to the Chiefs in recent weeks. Of course, as this is being written, a quote from *ESPN’s* Peter Schrager on the network’s morning show “Get Up” pops up, backing up what the line is telling us. FanDuel lists Tyson as the odds-on favorite to be selected with the No. 8 pick (+250), with the next-lowest odds for a player in that slot being +460. Tyson’s private workout for NFL teams last week may have bolstered his case as one of the top players in the draft. It’s also worth pointing out how low the odds are for Downs, yet he was an unlikely selection at pick No. 9 by the same book. To me, that speaks to the New York Giants’ interest in him as the franchise holds two selections in the top 10 (picks No. 5 and 10).

To be a first-round selection

• Defensive end T.J. Parker, Clemson (-175)
• Quarterback Ty Simpson, Alabama (-170)
• Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, Ohio State (-160)
• Defensive lineman Peter Woods, Clemson (-145)
• Offensive lineman Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M (-115)
• Cornerback Avieon Terrell, Clemson (+165)
• Linebacker C.J. Allen (+180)
• Edge rusher Cashius Howell (+185)
• Defensive end Zion Young (+195)

My takeaway

This list provides some clarity on which players will need to be selected at pick No. 29 and which could still be available at pick No. 40, or within range to trade up at the start of Day 2. If the team is targeting edge defenders, the oddsmakers see Parker as a much more likely first-round pick than Young. Both are strong fits to start immediately at defensive end for the Chiefs. McDonald is likely the first interior defensive lineman taken in the draft, and for good reason. There is a pocket of similar-style players as the order creeps into Round 2, but McDonald could be a worthwhile swing at a blue-chip 1-technique to beef up the defensive line if he is there at pick No. 29.