Kansas City went 6-11 last season. Patrick Mahomes missed most of it. Now he’s reportedly on track for Week 1 of 2026, which changes everything about how you look at this roster. Training camp opens July 24. Between now and then, it’s the dead zone of the NFL calendar. Perfect time to do something stupid and fun: simulate a draft two years out.
Pro Football Focus has a mock draft simulator. I ran it for the Chiefs in 2027. The results are weird in the way only offseason speculation can be. Let’s get into it.
Round 1, Pick 26: WR Mario Craver, Texas A&M
Craver is electric. He’s also 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, which means he profiles a lot like Xavier Worthy. That’s not a bad thing, necessarily. But the Chiefs need a wide receiver badly enough that PFF’s algorithm basically forces the pick. Rashee Rice is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The Chiefs are projected to be $18.59 million over the cap next offseason. Extending Rice might not be simple. Worthy and Jalen Royals are the only other young receivers under contract beyond 2026. So yeah, first-round receiver makes sense. Craver struggles against press coverage, same as Worthy. But the speed is real. The simulator didn’t overthink this one.
Round 2, Pick 58: G Evan Tengesdahl, Cincinnati
This is where it gets weird. The Chiefs already have Kingsley Suamataia and Trey Smith at guard. Tengesdahl has started 24 games and projects as an early Day 3 guy per most scouting reports. Taking him in the second round feels like a reach unless he has an absolutely monster 2026 season. But the logic is sound — protect Mahomes, open lanes for Kenneth Walker III. It’s just not a sexy pick. It might age well. It might not. That’s the whole second round for you.
Round 3, Pick 90: T Lance Heard, Kentucky
Heard was a five-star recruit who started at LSU, transferred to Tennessee for two years, then moved to Kentucky for his senior season. He’s 6-foot-6, 325 pounds. Jaylon Moore is on an expiring contract at right tackle. If Heard cleans up his footwork, this could be a steal. The simulator likes value. So do I.
Round 3, Pick 96: WR Mike Matthews, Tennessee
Matthews had 53 catches for 813 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. He’s 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, which gives him a different profile than Craver and Worthy. Not a contested-catch guy, but the speed is legit. The Chiefs double-dip at receiver because they have to.
Round 4, Pick 124: RB Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi State
Bothwell is a power back — 142 carries, 677 yards, six touchdowns last season. He started at South Alabama before transferring. He’ll be a third-year player in 2026, so declaring isn’t guaranteed. But as a complement to Walker, the fit is obvious.
Round 4, Pick 137: DT Maraad Watson, Texas
Watson is a true nose tackle. Khyiris Tonga signed a three-year deal this spring, so Watson could sit and learn for a year. Smart depth pick.
Round 5, Pick 164: QB CJ Bailey, North Carolina State
Bailey is 6-foot-6, mobile, raw. Scouts compare his physical tools to Josh Allen, but his processing isn’t close to NFL-ready. Justin Fields is on a one-year deal. Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun are behind him. Taking a flier on a traitsy quarterback in the fifth round is just good process.
Round 6, Pick 205: EDGE Kameryn Crawford, USC
Crawford is 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, and a good run defender. He has 7.5 sacks in two seasons. He’s entering his third year at USC, so no guarantee he declares. But late-round edge help is fine.
Round 7, Pick 242: WR Jaden Bray, West Virginia
Bray has the size-speed combo of a prototypical X receiver. He also has an injury history that’s kept him off the field. If he plays a full 2026 season and tests well at the Combine, he’s more than a seventh-rounder. Big if.
Round 7, Pick 251: WR Nyziah Hunter, Nebraska
Hunter led Nebraska with 43 catches for 617 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. Good hands, decent run blocker. He’s a special teams candidate on Day 3. The Chiefs basically throw darts at the board late. That’s how you build a roster.
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