Chiefs Can’t Afford To Pick Wrong Hurricane at No. 9

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Francis Mauignoa’s character is just as big as his 6-5½, 329-pound frame. He’s a road grader and dominant pass protector who just played a big role in a run to the national title game.

But despite what Field Yates and Matt Miller believe, he’s not a fit for the Kansas City Chiefs with the ninth-overall selection.

mauigo — Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa (61) blocks the rush during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Chiefs have already made moves this week to protect Mahomes

“I like the idea of protecting Patrick Mahomes, especially coming off a torn ACL,” Miller said on Friday’s edition of NFL Draft Daily. “Years ago, I talked to general manager Brett Veach about how their draft philosophy is approached, and he said, ‘We will always get Pat weapons and protection.’ This is about protecting Mahomes.”

But the Chiefs have already made moves to protect Mahomes, and that’s why they shouldn’t take a tackle at No. 9. At the scouting combine Feb. 24, Veach himself said that the best way to help Mahomes is to become more explosive in the run game.

And by committing $28.7 million guaranteed to Kenneth Walker, who signed a three-year deal worth up to $45 million, that’s just what the Chiefs did – they protected Mahomes. Walker’s explosive runs have been missing from the Kansas City offense over Mahomes’ entire career. The Chiefs and Saints have the NFL’s longest active streaks without a 1,000-yard rusher (2018-25).

When Walker isn’t keeping defenses on heels when he carries the ball, the Chiefs even signed another explosive back, Emari Demercado, to cover Walker’s sub-standard pass protection.

Likely scenario would force Chiefs to pick between Hurricanes

Should the first eight picks fall the way Yates predicted in his latest mock draft, with Arvell Reese and David Bailey off the board, the Chiefs would be in the position of choosing between a tackle like Mauigoa or an edge rusher like his teammate, Rueben Bain.

“I think 9 might be a little rich for Rueben Bain,” Miller said, “now that we know the arm-length concerns that came out from the NFL scouting combine.

“The big question internally will be, how do they build a pass rush? Because that is an issue for them. As much you want to protect Pat, who's going to go get the quarterback? This team had 25 sacks last year; not enough.”

Steve Spagnuolo has always cared more about limiting points than limiting sacks, and valued affecting quarterbacks more than sacking them. But when the Chiefs won consecutive Super Bowls in 2022-23, their respective sacks totals were 55 and 57, each the second most in the league in those years.

And the Chiefs didn’t get all those sacks simply by winning one-on-one matchups. They got them by winning chess matches, dialing up blitzes and covering on the back end. None of those have anything to do with the length of Bain’s arms.

esa pol — Dec 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Esa Pole (79) in stance against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

No question, after the team released Jawaan Taylor this month in a cap move, right tackle is now the weak link on the Chiefs’ line. But they’re actually in a better position there than they were at left tackle in 2024, when guard Joe Thuney had to cover Mahomes’ blindside.

Kansas City has five -- yes, five -- candidates already under contract who can start at that role, four of whom started games for the Chiefs at tackle last season. Wanya Morris, Jaylon Moore, Esa Pole and Chu Godrick found their way into the lineup in 2025. Meanwhile, veteran tackle Matt Waletzko re-signed with the Chiefs this winter.

Combined with arguably the best guard-center tandem in the league (Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey), along with a more confident Kingsley Suamataia and healthy Josh Simmons on the left side, a solid 80 percent will cover any weakness in the remaining 20 percent.