Chiefs Moves in Free Agency Revealed Obvious Direction for Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former college quarterback from Patrick Mahomes’ old stomping grounds. A player from Kenneth Walker’s high school who played collegiately in Travis Kelce’s neck of the woods. A tackles-for-loss machine who played with Xavier Worthy.

Oh, there’s also the other Justin Jefferson, plus Jeffrey Bassa’s former teammate at Oregon.

chena — Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (54) breaks up a pass to Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Those are five legitimate linebackers the Chiefs could draft to replace arguably the biggest question mark in their defense: The job vacated when Leo Chenal signed this month with the Commanders.

Kansas City addressed most of its holes in free agency, but not linebacker. As a result, the Chiefs clearly signaled a direction they’ll take in next month’s draft.

And after Ohio State linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles fly off the board, probably even before the Chiefs are on the clock at 9 overall, the draft has five attractive targets for the Chiefs on Day 2. Kansas City has the ninth, 29th, 40th and 74th overall selections.

Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Mahomes visited the Red Raiders’ pro day on Thursday, but he knows all about Jacob Rodriguez. A 6-1, 231-pound rock, Rodriguez began college as a freshman quarterback at Virginia before converting to linebacker at Texas Tech in 2022. Including a medical-redshirt season, he played five years in college, leading the Big 12 in solo tackles each of the last two. He also posted six career interceptions, four in 2025.

Jake Golday, Cincinnati

Kelce left the Bearcats to join Andy Reid in 2013, but the tight end remembers every play Golday made at Cincinnati over the last two seasons. After transferring from Central Arkansas, Golday posted five sacks in two years in a Bearcats uniform. He seems to fit Steve Spagnuolo’s vision for the hybrid role Chenal played so well in Kansas City. Plus, he graduated from Arlington (Tenn.) High School, which also produced Walker. The two had the same high-school head coach, Adam Sykes.

hil — Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) looks on during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Anthony Hill, Texas

Worthy’s teammate in 2023, Hill dominated at Texas over his three seasons. He led the SEC in tackles for loss with 16½ in 2024. He also posted three career interceptions and 17 sacks. The Chiefs will take a long, hard look at Hill before they’re on the clock in the second and third rounds.

Justin Jefferson, Alabama

Not to be confused with the Vikings’ All-Pro wide receiver, Jefferson is an intriguing prospect for the Chiefs. He’s smaller than the others (6-0, 223) but Spagnuolo would love his nose for the ball. He forced three fumbles during his Crimson Tide career. His ability to cover tight ends and larger receivers will be key in where the Chiefs grade him, whether he’s a Day 2 or Day 3 projection.

Bryce Boettcher, Oregon

One of the more fascinating prospects, Boettcher is a linebacker on some draft boards while other teams consider him a defensive back. Spagnuolo loves versatility in players, allowing the Chiefs to keep offenses off balance, so Boettcher should get legitimate consideration. Another unofficial Chiefs scout, Mahomes, will love Boettcher’s college baseball experience. The Houston Astros drafted Boettcher in 2024 but he opted to return to Oregon. Plus, he played with Bassa in Eugene, a player bidding to start in Chenal’s job with the Chiefs.