KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Chiefs are staring at their highest draft selection since 2013, holding the No. 9 overall pick after a 2025 campaign defined by injury and defensive regression. While the football world expects a new weapon for Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from a torn ACL and LCL, ESPN’s Matt Miller is pivoting in a different direction. In his latest mock draft, Miller projects the Chiefs will select Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. to revitalize a pass rush that went cold when it mattered most.
Kansas City finished the 2025 season with a pedestrian 35 sacks, tying them for 22nd in the league. That lack of pressure forced a secondary in transition to hold up too long, eventually leading to the team’s worst record of the Mahomes era. Bain Jr. represents a prototype that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo covets. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, the Miami standout produced 9.5 sacks and 71 pressures last season. Despite concerns regarding his 30⅞-inch arm length, his technical refinement and inside-outside versatility make him a day-one starter in Kansas City’s multiple front.
The atmosphere at Arrowhead has been uncharacteristically somber since January, but the arrival of a blue-chip prospect like Bain could change that. Fans who turned the stadium into a sea of red even during the freezing December losses are desperate for a defensive identity. Bain’s tape shows a high-motor player who refuses to be blocked, a trait that would pair perfectly with George Karlaftis on the opposite edge.
“The Chiefs are used to contending for Super Bowls, but they have a lot of needs at premium positions. Bain would immediately start opposite George Karlaftis and has the inside/outside alignment versatility that Steve Spagnuolo has typically preferred.”
— Matt Miller, ESPN Draft Analyst
The decision to go defense at No. 9 hinges on the availability of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. If Love is off the board, grabbing the best defensive player available becomes the priority. This strategy allows Kansas City to target offensive line depth or a vertical threat in the second and third rounds. The offense already looks different for 2026; the Chiefs recently secured Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker II to lead the backfield.
Securing Bain Jr. would allow the defense to return to an elite tier while Mahomes focuses on his grueling rehabilitation. With the 2026 season-opener just months away, the front office knows they cannot waste this rare top-10 opportunity. If the board falls as Miller predicts, the Chiefs might just find the successor to the pass-rushing legacy left by the greats of the past decade.
