THE GOLDEN JACKET MANDATE: TOP 10 PROSPECTS FOR 2026

Hense Todd’s Golden Jackets: Full Scouting Breakdown of the Elite Athletes Who Will Define the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is loaded with high-ceiling athletes, but my Golden Jacket Mandate goes beyond just measurables. We’re looking for the game-changers—the players who fundamentally alter how defenses scheme and how offenses attack. These are my top ten “Golden Jackets,” prospects who will walk into the league and immediately elevate their team’s ceiling.

THE TOP 10: HENSE TODD’S GOLDEN JACKETS

Rank	Player	Position	School	The Golden Jacket Trait	Chiefs Fit (Key Need)
1	Jeremiyah Love	RB	Notre Dame	High-Vol me RB1 (Dynamic Playmaker)	High-Vol RB1 (Dynamic Playmaker)
2	Matayo Uiagalelei	EDGE	Oregon	Elite Length & Pass Rush Versatility (1st Round EDGE Prospect)	Star EDGE (Complem entary Pass Rusher)

3	Nyck Harbor	WR	South Carolina	Rotational EDGE (Upside Development)	Deep Threat/X-WR (Field Stretcher)
4	Denzel Boston	WR	Washington	Unmatched Physical Marvel (6’5″, 235 lbs, Vertical Weapon)	Boundary X-WR (Reliable Target)
5	Keionte Scott	CB/Nickel	Miami (FL)	Physical Red-Zone Dominance (High-IQ Boundary Receiver)	Slot/Nickel Terror (Secondary Leader)
6	Caleb Banks	DT	Florida	Interior Anchor with Disruptive Length (334 lbs, Wins with Power)	Nose/3-TQ (Run-Stop Anchor)
7	Zion Young	EDGE	Missouri	Long, Controlled Violence (6.5 Sacks, Clean Technique)	Rotational EDGE (Need Development Time)
8	Chris Brazzell II	WR	Tennessee	Vertical Size & Ball Tracking (Fluidity for 6’5″ Frame)	Red Zone WR (Jump Ball Specialist

9	Michael Trigg	TE	Baylor	Natural Hands & Elite Athleticis m (Modern Receiving TE)	Receiving TE (Red Zone Specialist)
10	Eric McAlister	WR	TCU	Red Zone Target & Matchup Nightmare (1,000-Yard Deep Threat)	Contested Catch WR (Immediate Value)

FULL GOLDEN JACKET BREAKDOWN: UPSIDE MANDATE

1.     Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)

• Upside: Love is a certified First-Round Utility Player. His 2025 production—1,372 rushing yards, 280 receiving yards, and 21 total touchdowns—is elite. He combines game-breaking speed with the contact balance to absorb hits and extend plays. He is a phenomenal receiving back who can run the full route tree.
  • Chiefs Fit: He is the dynamic High-Volume RB1 the Chiefs offense can build around, giving Patrick Mahomes an explosive back who is a high-level receiver out of the backfield.

2.       Matayo Uiagalelei (EDGE, Oregon)

• Upside: Uiagalelei is one of the most complete defensive players in the class. At 6’5″, 272 pounds, he has elite burst, quickness, and length. He finished 2025 with 8.5 TFLs and 5.0 sacks, proving he’s a potent pass rusher with the strength to set a violent edge against the run.
• Chiefs Fit: He would immediately upgrade the defensive front as a Star EDGE, providing the complementary pass rush to keep the defensive line rotational and dominant.

3.       Nyck Harbor (WR, South Carolina)

• Upside: Harbor is a physical marvel at 6’5″ and 235 pounds with an estimated 4.3-second speed. He is a vertical weapon who averaged a massive 20.6 yards per reception in 2025. He possesses the ultimate physical ceiling, allowing him to dominate above the rim on fades and deep posts.
  • Chiefs Fit: He is the ultimate Deep Threat/X-WR who would force safeties out of the box, opening up space underneath for Rashee Rice and the entire intermediate passing game.

4.       Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)

• Upside: Boston (6’4″, 210 lbs) is a polished, high-IQ receiver who wins with polish, leverage, and body control. He is built to be a high-volume, reliable boundary receiver and is an immediate red-zone threat. He uses his size to box out defenders consistently.
  • Chiefs Fit: Boston would be a consistent and reliable Boundary X-WR who can execute the full route tree and be a trusted target for Mahomes on third downs and near the goal line.

5.       Keionte Scott (CB/Nickel, Miami (FL))

• Upside: Scott (6’0″, 195 lbs) is the defensive tone-setter every unit needs. His coverage skills are elite, and his splitting skills (bursting into the backfield) are a game-changer.

He’s a physical, versatile hybrid defender who dominates the slot and provides a high-motor instinct for forced turnovers.

• Chiefs Fit: As a versatile Slot/Nickel Terror, Scott fits Steve Spagnuolo’s defense perfectly, offering a high-IQ playmaker who can blitz, cover, and lead the secondary.

6.       Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)

• Upside: At 6’6″ and 334 lbs, Banks is a massive interior anchor who moves with surprising fluidity and power. He is a phenomenal run defender who uses his power and length to stop downhill runs and collapse the pocket. He has ideal scheme versatility for any NFL front.
  • Chiefs Fit: Banks is the prototypical Nose/3-Tech who can command double teams and free up Chris Jones to focus purely on creating interior chaos.

7.     Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)

• Upside: Young, a high-impact transfer to the Mizzou Tigers, is a player of controlled violence—long, rangy (6’5″, 262 lbs), and effective at disrupting the backfield. He finished 2025 with 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, showcasing his ability to disrupt the backfield. He has a clean technique and is poised for double-digit sack production.
  • Chiefs Fit: He is a high-upside Rotational EDGE who provides depth, strong run containment, and the potential to develop into a Pro Bowl pass rusher under NFL coaching.

8.       Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)

• Upside: Brazzell (6’5″, 200 lbs) moves with incredible fluidity for his size and is a dynamic deep catalyst, averaging a strong 15.4 yards per catch. He uses a combination of speed and length to win with box-out ability and ball-tracking on deep routes. He has the size that NFL offenses crave to stretch the field.
  • Chiefs Fit: As a Red Zone WR, his size and jump-ball skills are an instant cheat code for Mahomes near the goal line, punishing defenses that play man coverage in tight quarters.

9.      Michael Trigg (TE, Baylor)

• Upside: Trigg (6’4″, 240 lbs) is a receiving weapon with a clear path to becoming one of the best tight ends in the league. His natural, strong hands are elite, and his fluid athleticism allows him to create mismatches against linebackers consistently. He is aligned to be a modern, dynamic receiving tight end who dominates the seam and the red zone.
  • Chiefs Fit: Trigg is the ultimate Receiving TE specialist. He brings a unique body type and catch radius that complement the Chiefs’ existing tight end room, making him a high-upside, ready-made red-zone threat.

10.        Eric McAlister (WR, TCU)

• Upside: McAlister (6’3″, 205 lbs) is an emerging talent who finished 2025 by breaking the 1,000-yard mark while averaging 18.2 yards per catch. He is one of the country’s most potent deep threats and a phenomenal red-zone target. He possesses the size and scope to be molded into a legitimate outside starter at the next level, offering tremendous immediate value.
  • Chiefs Fit: McAlister is a high-value Contested Catch WR who offers a big, athletic target on the outside to win one-on-one battles, fitting the mold of the big receiver the Chiefs often target on day two of the draft.

BONUS GOLDEN JACKET: JERMOD McCOY

Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)

• Upside: McCoy (6’0″, 193 lbs) is a certified First-Round cornerback talent. His 2024 tape was stellar, earning an 89.6 PFF coverage grade and leading the conference with 4 interceptions. He is a fluid, explosive man-coverage corner with elite ball skills and advanced route anticipation. His quick processing speed and ability to mirror receivers make him an elite boundary defender.
  • Chiefs Fit: McCoy would be a phenomenal fit in Spagnuolo’s defense as a Boundary CB1. His ability to thrive in press-man coverage and his phenomenal ball production would create game-altering turnovers for the Chiefs.