Under-the-Radar Player has Emerged as Potential Pick at No. 9 for Chiefs

One of the top mysteries in the 2026 NFL Draft is what direction the Kansas City Chiefs will go with the ninth-overall pick.

For months, there has been plenty of speculation about which positions the Chiefs' front office will prioritize with the top-10 pick, but according to ESPN's draft analyst Matt Miller, Kansas City has not indicated anything pertaining to that pick. Additionally, one player has emerged as a dark-horse candidate for the Chiefs in the first round.

Miller's Thoughts

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"In talking to sources both in Kansas City and around the league, there seems to be no strong indicator of where the Chiefs will go with either of their first-round picks," Miller said. "The Chiefs will see how the board falls and have needs at core positions such as offensive tackle, wide receiver, edge rusher, defensive tackle and cornerback. A hot name to watch at corner is Jermod McCoy... if he makes it to No. 9."

Level of Risk McCoy Carries

Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) reacts after gaining control of a fumble during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. | Stephanie Amador / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the last two weeks, the 6-foot-1, 188-pound cornerback has drawn attention as being a potential top-12 pick. McCoy's injury history has been the main reason he has not been previously assessed as a for-sure top-10 pick. The Tennessee cornerback missed the entirety of the 2025 season with a torn ACL, which also held him out of the scouting combine in February.

McCoy is regarded as the No. 2 cornerback in this year's draft, only behind LSU's Mansoor Delane, who has separated himself from the rest of the pack. Investing a premium pick on the junior cornerback is a massive risk, and should only be in consideration if Delane and the top-three pass rushers are off the board.

Why the Chiefs Could Draft McCoy

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (DB20) speaks to media members during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

It has been apparent since general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid joined forces in 2018 that Kansas City is not scared off by players with health concerns. The Chiefs drafted offensive tackle Josh Simmons in 2025, despite the fact that they was coming off a torn patellar tendon. In 2022, Kansas City drafted guard Trey Smith in the sixth round, and the only reason the All-Pro right guard was available on Day 3 was because of a heart issue.

While in both instances, Kansas City was not risking a top-10 pick, they illustrate that the Chiefs' front office believes its evaluation process and trusts what it sees on film. Injuries are part of the equation, and maybe owning a top-10 pick is persuasive enough not to take a high-risk, high-reward approach at that spot, but it would not be surprising based on Veach's track record.