C
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs bled value on every deal, hence the C.
by fghn ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 4 steals
· 3 reaches
Nobody else had Kaelon Black anywhere near pick 148. The Chiefs did, by 78 spots, and that gap is the whole story.
The Trotter steal is the beam this whole class leans on. They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down.
They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
So much rides on Arvell Reese that the real verdict is a season or two away.
Pick-by-Pick
No drama and no debate, Arvell Reese went about where he belonged in pick 9. A need, and now a little less of one.
In Round 1, Pick 31 they get an enforcer at safety at fair value. More want than need.
Fair-plus on Chris Johnson, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They paid sticker price for Christen Miller in the 54th overall pick, and that is fine. The roster fit checks out.
They took Elijah Sarratt at par in the Round 3 slot, which is nothing to complain about. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They robbed the room for Josiah Trotter here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They talked themselves into Kaelon Black at Round 5, Pick 8, and the board did not agree. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They read the board right and Marlin Klein was the payoff at No. 169. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board had cheaper options than Zane Durant at the 176th overall pick, and it noticed. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Keagen Trost in pick No. 210 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Zavion Thomas at pick 246. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Luke Altmyer at the Round 7 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. It fills a real need, too.