The Chiefs may not be drafting in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft for a while, but that hasn’t stopped mock drafts from pointing to a pretty clear theme: Kansas City could be looking hard at the offensive line again.
That idea shows up in more than one projection, and it makes sense given how the roster could look by then. The Chiefs are the kind of team that plans years ahead, and these early draft guesses suggest they may already be circling a long-term answer up front.
One projection from Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo has Kansas City picking at No. 28 overall after another deep postseason run in 2026. In that mock, the Chiefs use the pick on Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Lauck.
Lauck is entering the 2026 season as a second-team preseason All-American after starting a full year at left tackle last season. Melo also notes that Lauck could move inside to guard at the next level, depending on how teams evaluate him.
That versatility is part of the appeal for Kansas City. Josh Simmons will be under the microscope at left tackle in 2026 after missing half of his rookie year because of injury and personal reasons.
Jaylon Moore is likely to be gone at right tackle, and the Chiefs may want to give younger players like Esa Pole a shot there anyway. Inside, Kingsley Suamataia is headed into a contract year in 2027.
A player like Lauck could give the Chiefs both a higher ceiling and insurance across multiple spots.
Another first-round name tied to Kansas City is LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green, also projected to the Chiefs at No. 28 overall in that same mock. Green is a 6-7 target who broke out for LSU last season with 33 catches for 433 yards and 7 touchdowns, even though he started only 6 games and appeared in 13. That production earned him second-team All-SEC honors, and he should be one of the more talked-about tight ends in next spring’s draft discussions.
The fit is easy to see. Kansas City has been connected to top tight end prospects before, and that conversation will only grow louder with Travis Kelce’s twilight in view. The depth chart behind him doesn’t offer much in the way of dependable production, so a first-round swing at the position would not be a surprise.
There’s also another mock that pushes the Chiefs even earlier in the round. NFL Spin Zone’s latest projection has Kansas City at No. 16 overall, somewhere between last season’s 6-11 finish and another run at the conference championship. In that version, the Chiefs go with Texas tackle Trevor Goosby.
Goosby checks the boxes teams want at the position: he’s listed at 6-7 and 325 pounds, and he brings the athleticism and strength to project as an above-average NFL starter. Scouts will want to see how he develops this season in front of Arch Manning, but the appeal for Kansas City is the same as it is with Lauck. Tackle is premium real estate, and the Chiefs could be looking for another long-term piece there if younger options like Pole or Kahlil Benson don’t emerge.
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Kansas City still has to plan for life after Travis Kelce, and Gray was supposed to be part of that answer. Instead, the Chiefs now have to decide whether he can still grow into the reliable starter they need or whether the position has to be addressed another way. With competition and alternatives already in the mix, Gray does not have much margin for another step backward before the pressure around his future gets even louder. [Read more 🡒]
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The path to real snaps is less about what Johnson can do with the ball than what he does without it. Training camp and preseason will be his chance to show he can handle the full job description, and for a team that needs reliability around Patrick Mahomes, that part of the evaluation matters as much as anything else. If Johnson can earn trust in the protection game, he could force his way into the conversation sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]