With a rare high pick, Kansas City eyes a game-changing defensive talent. Could this Ohio State standout transform the Chiefs' future?
It's strange not to see the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL postseason, but here we are. For the first time in the past decade, the Chiefs are watching the playoffs from home.
That also means fans can start thinking about the future instead of worrying about a potential Super Bowl run, which is not something they are used to after a series of AFC titles and Super Bowl appearances.
The Chiefs have plenty of questions going into the offseason, and they have defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy interviewing for head coach jobs with Nagy looking like he might land one of them this time around.
So, there is also a thought of who the Chiefs target in the NFL Draft, which usually doesn't make much difference with them picking toward the end of the first round in recent years.
This time, they are picking at No. 9 overall, which means there are more options.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports had a new 2026 NFL mock draft after Dante Moore decided to stay with Oregon, so it certainly looks different than a few days before.
While the Chiefs have constantly been linked to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Wilson has Kansas City selecting Ohio State standout safety Caleb Downs at No. 9 overall.
"Downs could be a Troy Polamalu-level talent in the NFL. He's only 5-foot-11, and he may not end up running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, but I don't care. Not even a little bit. Both Kyle Hamilton and Brian Branch slipped on draft day because of mediocre 40 times. They're two of the best young defensive backs in football. Downs is a run-game enforcer and has the sideline-to-sideline juice, coupled with the short-area burst, to excel in pass coverage," Wilson wrote.
Downs played at Alabama and Ohio State, so he has plenty of experience and was a key part of the Buckeyes' national title team a year ago.
While the Chiefs do need an RB and have been linked to Love previously, Wilson has Love going one pick before the Chiefs' selection, with the New Orleans Saints grabbing the Notre Dame star at No. 8.
The Chiefs have also been linked to Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq, especially with the future of Travis Kelce up in the air, but landing a top-tier talent such as Downs could do wonders for the defense.
Downs has 164 total tackles with six interceptions and three forced fumbles during his three years in college, and the electric playmaker is viewed as a top-10 pick despite being a safety.
After all, Wilson says he has Troy Polamalu talent, and that could definitely be worth a high draft pick for the Chiefs or any other team interested in the standout safety.