Daniel Jeremiah opposes Chiefs trade-back, projecting Jeremiyah Love as No. 9 pick
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Daniel Jeremiah projects Jeremiyah Love to be the Chiefs' No. 9 pick.
- Jeremiah says Kansas City should keep No. 9 to land a cost‑controlled impact player.
- He doubts many teams will offer to trade up, making trade‑backs unlikely.
In his most recent mock draft, longtime NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah sent Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9 overall.
“Patrick Mahomes finally gets an elite back,” Jeremiah wrote. “If defenses continue to play a conservative shell defense against the Chiefs, Love can make them pay.”
During his combine news conference Tuesday, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach identified the team’s top offseason need as getting more explosive in the run game. Thus, Jeremiah’s pick of Love for Kansas City makes plenty of sense.
But the Chiefs would be hard-pressed to not at least field calls from other teams on a potential trade-back. If ever there was a time a team could use more selections, it’s this one, with roster holes abounding.
As the plugged-in Jeremiah put it this week, however, trade-backs can be complicated. Simply, it takes two to tango.
“I think that every team that I’ve talked to, and it’s always the same at this time of the year is, ‘Hey, do you think we could trade back?’” he said Tuesday. “I’m still waiting for the first team that’s like, ‘Hey, we’d really like to trade up in this draft.’”
Early in his chat with reporters, Jeremiah described this year’s 2026 draft class as “good,” clarifying by saying he doesn’t believe it includes a Myles Garrett or Nick Bosa — the kind of prospect that’s viewed as a near-sure bet to become an All-Pro.
That’s what makes it interesting for Kansas City at No. 9. Is the quality of player available at No. 9 all that different from what you could find at, say, 13 to 15?
Jeremiah pushed back on the idea of the Chiefs trading down, saying Kansas City would be better off capitalizing on this rare air.
“Kansas City, I look at it a little different,” he said. “You could say, ‘We could trade back and fill a couple needs.’ (But) how often is Kansas City going to be picking here to get a blue-chip, impact player that’s going to be cost-controlled for the next four or five years?”
That’s where his mock of Love comes in. Jeremiah also has Texas Tech edge David Bailey, Ohio State edge Arvell Reese and Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. ranked in his top six.
“I tend to say, ‘Hey, maybe one of these edge rushers falls to us (at No. 9),’” he said “If Jeremiyah Love’s there, I think he’s the second-best player in the draft — a chance to get a cheap, blue-chip-caliber player, to me? I think I fall more in line with that than the trade-back.”
Really, since Jamaal Charles’ ACL tear in 2015, the Chiefs have largely pieced the position together with value finds. Love is believed to be in the realm of Charles, in terms of skills and potential.
Re-establishing fear of an explosive run game — thus opening up the pass — may be too good an opportunity for Veach to pass up if Love is still on the board.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Daniel Jeremiah opposes Chiefs trade-back, projecting Jeremiyah Love as No. 9 pick."
