Peter Schrager Predicts Chiefs Draft 1,700-Yard Weapon for Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs are in good position to possibly add two starters in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft.

KC has the No. 9 and 29 overall picks - the latter of which came via the trade that sent All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams - and realistically the team could add an impact rookie on both sides of the ball.

Though the Chiefs have been linked to several pre-draft trades, ESPN's Peter Schrager thinks they definitely won't keep their original picks, and he predicts the team will pull off a significant trade with the Dallas Cowboys that would send picks No. 9 and 29 to Dallas for picks No. 12 and 20.

With that 20th pick, Schrager has the Chiefs grabbing a dynamic WR1 weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

"This would be an A-plus first round for the Chiefs, with (Rueben) Bain and then Cooper," Schrager wrote. "Patrick Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, and the receiver room has some issues. Cooper caught 13 touchdowns last season, and I’ve heard some comps to Deebo Samuel for his toughness and versatility."

The other half of Schrager's proposed trade landed the Chiefs Miami Hurricanes defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., who some scouts believe is actually the best edge-rusher in the class.

Adding Bain would be a big win for a Kansas City pass-rush that lacks real punch outside of Chirs Jones and George Karlafits.

"The Chiefs have done their homework on the edge rushers near the top of this class, and I could even see them trading up instead of down if Bailey or Reese slid just a little bit more. But moving back three spots (while moving up nine spots later in Round 1) and still getting a top-three edge rusher in the class? It’d be a huge win for Kansas City. Bain had 9.5 sacks last season and could slot in opposite George Karlaftis."

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 5:52 PM.