There is no denying that Travis Kelce’s last NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs will likely be in 2025. With his future murky after this season, one can only imagine there will be one outcome in 12 months. But the Chiefs won’t want to be left in the lurch at the position when Kelce does move on.

And that brings us to Jason McIntyre’s mock draft for Fox Sports, and when picking at No. 31, the Chiefs are beginning the Travis Kelce succession plan. “Travis Kelce is near the end of his career after a tough season and two subpar games to end the season,” McIntyre writes. “He can mentor Loveland for a year before retiring.”

Drafting Kelce’s eventual successor a year ahead is a smart business move, and in Loveland, the Michigan Wolverine will develop into quite the pass-catching weapon for Patrick Mahomes. Loveland’s route running and athleticism, coupled with his knowledge of concepts make him a quarterback’s best friend and when you have Patrick Mahomes, it feels like a good match.

Plus, getting a full offseason and regular season to learn from one of the best tight ends to ever do it is going to be like gold for Loveland and will no doubt give him a big boost for the rest of his career. Kelce returning is good for the soul, but there is also a business element to it. The Chiefs can’t stand still at the tight end position, so getting Travis’ successor in the building a year before he retires is a solid plan of attack.