B-
Kansas City Chiefs
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Chiefs and Benson: B-.
by Kenny proctor ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 3 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Malik Benson got past him. The Chiefs do not have to explain a thing at pick No. 169. Good, not great, and the B- says as much.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. The cost of the Halton reach is exactly the players who went right after him.
They left with wide receiver solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
Good work on the whole, with quarterback the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 9 they get a premier pass rusher, even if it was a touch early. A clean fit for the roster.
In pick No. 29 they get a security blanket over the middle, and a steal at that. The biggest hole, addressed.
Gabe Jacas in No. 40 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 3 slot, where Jadarian Price graded well above the range. A need, and now a little less of one.
A real head-scratcher, Gracen Halton in the 109th pick is miles ahead of his ranking. The roster fit checks out.
Eli Raridon at pick 148 is money in the bank, a tight end taken below his worth. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Circle this one: Malik Benson at the 169th overall pick is a fall that decides a draft. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Aamil Wagner in Round 5, Pick 36 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Toriano Pride Jr. at No. 210 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A minor itch, scratched.