2026 Projected KC Chiefs Defensive Starters Post-Draft

Our defensive scheme is a 4 - 3 (4 Down Linemen, and 3 Linebackers) base 7 man front with a 1 gap Under Front alignment (Defensive Line shifts to the weakside, and the Strong Side Outside Linebacker moves up on the line of scrimmage. That makes the defense look like a 5-2 with 43 personnel. Sometimes, the Strong or Free Safety will drop down close to the line of scrimmage, and the defense becomes an eight-man front, or what’s known as the 46 (Brian Dawkins in Philadelphia, and now Alohi Gilman in KC). Now everybody in the NFL does a little bit of everything because it’s the pros and a copycat league. But our defensive coordinator comes from the Jim Johnson tree (‘99 – ‘08 with the Philadelphia Eagles) and prefers a 2 High Safety alignment with Press Man Coverage, mixed in with Man Blitzes, Double-A Gap Blitzes, and Zone Blitzes depending on the situation also.

2026 Projected KC Chiefs Defensive Starters in my opinion after the draft:

LDE: George Karlaftis
LDT: Chris Jones
RDT:  Khyiris Tonga
RDE: Ashton Gillotte
LOLB (SLB): Cooper McDonald
MLB: Nick Bolton
ROLB (WLB): Drue Tranquill
LCB (CB1): Nohl Williams
RCB (CB2): Delane Mansoor 
CB3: Kader Kohou
SS: Chamarri Connor
FS: Alohi Gilman

In the Nickel (5 DBs) against a spread offense, take out Cooper McDonald, and replace with a Slot Corner. Kader Kohou.

In Dime (6 DBs), take out Cooper McDonald, and Drue Tranquill. Add another Safety, Chris Roland-Wallace, along with Kader Kohou.