Taking a look at three defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft class that I think the Kansas City Chiefs will be higher on than the consensus.
The NFL Draft is mercurial when it comes to opinions on prospects. It's hard to find two teams, let alone two scouts, that share the exact same opinions on a player.
It's not necessarily a bad thing, despite how it sounds. Some of the best draft decisions by the Kansas City
Chiefs have been born from disagreement and debate. The Chiefs can be among the more rigid teams. Particularly when it comes to the athletic profiles and traits they desire in draft prospects at a given position.
We already looked at some offensive players
we expect the Chiefs to be high on. Here's a look at three defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft class who I think Kansas City ranks higher than consensus.
I don't think this will surprise anyone, and I get that there are legitimate concerns. Faulk's pass-rush plan and his athleticism are probably at the top of the list. I also think there are some overblown concerns, like his sack production in 2025. He played a lot on the interior, and when he wasn't, teams paid a lot more attention to him in their game-planning than they did in 2024.
He's the Spags prototype at 6-foot-6 and 276 pounds with 34.38-inch arms, and compares favorably to former Chiefs DE Carlos Dunlap
. He'll be just 21 years old in 2026. He's an elite run defender, maybe even the best edge-setting defensive end in the class. He has inside/outside versatility that the Chiefs need to replace after Mike Danna
and Charles Omenihu
's departures in free agency. He was voted team captain in 2025, which is something Kansas City values.
Faulk is currently No. 20 on consensus big board rankings. A to Z Sports has him at No. 18. I could see the Chiefs taking him as high as pick No. 9 or even trading up from No. 29 to select him.
Lee is undervalued. He ranks 95th on the consensus big board. In my eyes, he'll go more in line with our rankings at 79th overall. I could see Kansas City targeting him at No. 74. That's assuming they don't draft a cornerback in Rounds 1 or 2.
Lee measured at 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds. The 23-year-old ran a 4.52s 40-yard dash, jumped a 42-inch vertical, and jumped a 132-inch broad at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. He's silky smooth in man coverage, especially when mirroring and matching opposing receivers. He's very disruptive on comeback and curl routes because of it. Texas A&M often left him on an island, and he succeeded there.
The great Craig Stout has him on this year's Tier 1 cBAT list. What's that? It's a proprietary formula that has accurately predicted draft prospects as Year 1 contributors in the NFL. The Chiefs probably need to find someone who can immediately step in and contribute at corner. Lee has over 1,600 career snaps at the position.
At 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, Proctor's game is reminiscent of former Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton
. The 21-year-old is an impressive athlete with a quick first step. He has surprising power and a deeper pass-rush toolkit than you'd expect from a small-schooler.
It feels like a good time to remind people that the Chiefs have a fetish with players from Louisiana
.
"If you go watch these kids practice, I think first off it starts with how they practice. They really work those kids down in Louisiana. They understand what it takes before game time, the preparation, and everything that needs to go into preparing before playing the game. I've watched LSU and Louisiana Tech and I've watched them for 13 years now, nothing's really changed. They practice hard, they prepare, and they understand how to be professionals before game time."
Willie davis
Chiefs Senior Personnel Executive
I'd wager the team views Proctor as a top-100 pick. The consensus big board has him outside of the top-150.
