Will the Kansas City Chiefs Draft Protection for Patrick Mahomes at No. 9?

A little over two months since the Seattle Seahawks downed the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl, the new season of the NFL is officially ready to kick off in full on Thursday night in Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft.

While the world’s worst-kept secret is that the Las Vegas Raiders will be selecting Heisman Award winner and national champion quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, the fun begins after the Indiana signal-caller puts on the silver and black for the first time.

As we count down the clock to Thursday, per Kalshi, the prediction website, here are the frontrunners to go to the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9.

More news: Could the New York Giants Take a Wide Receiver at No. 5 in NFL Draft?

More news: Can Commanders Land Jayden Daniels an Elite Weapon at No. 7 in NFL Draft?

Mansoor Delane (19%)

The Kansas City Chiefs had one of the best cornerback duos in the league with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

Well, the Los Angeles Rams thought so too, and traded for McDuffie before signing Watson in free agency.

The Chiefs know how to develop late-round corners into stars, so what could they do if they took an already athletic monster like Delane and coached him up?

Rueben Bain Jr. (18%)

Although Bain Jr. has fallen down some draft boards, he is still a game-changer on the defensive line and has the explosiveness to be a force for a long time in the NFL.

Francis Mauigoa (11%)

With Patrick Mahomes coming off a torn ACL, the Chiefs could also take a safe option by getting one of the elite O-line players in the class to protect their crown jewel.

Mauigoa has top-five upside, but has begun to fall down the charts due to possibly needing back surgery sooner rather than later. If not Mauigoa, Spencer Fano is also an option for Kansas City.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 11:25 PM.