Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs could look for a running back to help Patrick Mahomes. According to the most recent mock draft from Field Yates, a star from college football is projected to be selected by general manager Brett Veach with the No. 9 overall pick. Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame.
“While I don’t know if Love will fall to this pick in April, I would be surprised if he makes it past the Chiefs. Simply put, Love is the biggest non-QB difference-maker in the class. As a runner, he has terrific explosiveness and vision. As a receiver, his routes from the slot look no different from a wideout. The Chiefs need a major boost to their backfield after ranking 25th in rushing yards per game (106.6). And I’d imagine general manager Brett Veach would be tempted to sprint the card in himself to make this pick.”
During the 2025 season, the lack of production from the running game was key for Mahomes and the Chiefs not being Super Bowl contenders. That will likely lead to Isiah Pacheco not receiving a contract extension and make the draft a crucial moment to find a replacement.
Chiefs need a starting RB
In a hard-to-believe statistic, the Chiefs have not had a running back with over 1,000 yards since the 2017 season, when Kareem Hunt achieved it. For this reason, fans and experts believe that if Patrick Mahomes gets help at that position, the chances of winning a championship would be enormous.
Who will be Chiefs’ running back in 2026?
If they don’t get Jeremiyah Love in the draft, free agency would be the big opportunity for the Chiefs to find their star running back. Even before the trade deadline of the 2025 season, Breece Hall emerged as a very strong candidate.
The player will become a free agent, and the only option the Jets have to keep him is the franchise tag. However, Hall has said that he wants to be on a Super Bowl contender, and New York cannot offer that at the moment.