Grading the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2026 Draft Class

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Round 1, Pick 6 (via Browns) - Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Grade: B-

If you told me the Chiefs were going to take Delane with their first pick in the draft, I wouldn't have been ecstatic, but I would have understood. Yet after this pick, I feel more confused than I thought I would. Not only did the Chiefs draft Delane, but they traded up for him and passed on both Reuben Bain Jr. and Caleb Downs (two players I would have rather had). My issue is not with Delane, but rather the Chiefs trading two picks to trade up for a position they never keep past their rookie contract. This is a deep cornerback class with multiple options that could have been addressed later in the first round or the second round. Furthermore, this is hopefully the last time the Chiefs pick this high for the rest of Mahomes’ career. Is Delane going to be the first cornerback Brett Veach keeps past his rookie contract, or did Kansas City just use the 6th overall pick on a player who will be gone in just 4 years?

On the other hand, Delane is a day one starter at arguably the Chiefs biggest position of need, so not a bad thing at all. Delane allowed 0 touchdowns and committed 0 penalties in 2025, which is highly impressive. Veach likely thought Delane was the only true CB1 in the class, making him the priority. However, I had the impression the Chiefs’ strongest structural quality is their ability to coach up corners, which is why I had them addressing the position at 29. Still, the Chiefs have solved their DB crisis for now and the hole Trent McDuffie left has been filled. Mansoor Delane is an A+ prospect, but I give this selection a B- because I am not sure if this was the best decision for the Chiefs, especially with the 6th overall pick.

Round 1, Pick 29 (via Rams) - Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

Grade: A

With edge rusher being the most talked about position for the Chiefs to take in the first round, they surprisingly didn’t take one. However, they did take a defensive tackle to pair with Chris Jones. Woods isn’t going to get the sacks that an edge rusher would, but this pick ensures the Chiefs’ interior defensive line will be a force this season. I thought after signing Khyiris Tonga in free agency the Chiefs would focus more on the exterior line in the draft, but Woods seems to be more of a disruptor like Jones rather than a pure run stuffer like Tonga. This move helps Chris Jones get a bit of breathing room, and that may generate more pressure on offenses. A great move for a struggling defensive line.

Round 2, Pick 40 - R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma

Grade: B+

The Chiefs finally drafted an edge, yet it was not the one many expected. With Zion Young and Cashius Howell still on the board, no one expected the Chiefs to draft the undersized defensive end R Mason Thomas (what a cool name by the way). This pick is a bit different from the types of edges Spagnuolo utilizes, but I believe that is a good thing. The Chiefs haven’t drafted or developed edges well as of late. 2023 first round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth, and George Karlaftus only got 6 sacks in 2025. Thomas is quick and could give the edge the boost it needs to finally get to the quarterback on important downs. He needs to improve his hand work to succeed at a high level, and I am also concerned with the amount of games he has missed throughout his college career. Still, the Chiefs have addressed the defensive line thoroughly and now there are no more excuses for this unit in 2026.

Round 4, Pick 109 - Jadon Canady, DB, Oregon

Grade: A-

The Chiefs were terrible on third downs last year, having the 4th worst 3rd down stoppage rate in the league in 2025. Canady can play all over the field but can primarily help the slot position which received the most amount of punishment in 2025. This will not only help the players who are less good in coverage (I’m talking about you, Nick Bolton) but will also ensure the middle of the field stays locked down on important downs. He isn’t the best safety in the draft, so it is not set in stone he will be great, but I have faith in the Chiefs’ defensive coaching staff that Canady will fulfill his potential on the field.

Round 5, Pick 161 - Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

Grade: A

Emmett Johnson rushed for over 1400 yards and caught 12 touchdowns with Nebraska in 2025 and caught for 370 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Chiefs didn’t necessarily need another RB, especially after signing both Kenneth Walker and Emari Demarcado. However, Johnson is a perfect fit for a Chiefs team that really missed a pass-catching running back last year. I envision Johnson will be used as the new Jerick McKinnon, a player that Chiefs fans deeply miss. This likely removes the possibility of bringing back Kareem Hunt for another season but so be it. I like this pick a lot.

Round 5, Pick 137 - Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati

Grade: C+

The Chiefs finally addressed the wide receiver position with Cyrus Allen from Cincinnati. Allen caught 51 passes for 674 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025. With so many questions about Rice and Worthy, this feels like a way to fill that need in the event something happens to Kansas City’s top two receivers. Allen is inconsistent but is fast (sounds like an average Chiefs pick). He will likely compete for a roster position with last year’s fourth round pick Jalen Royals and Nikko Remigio. I am unsure if Allen was the best option at WR here, and the Chiefs haven’t proven themselves to be great at developing young wide receivers. As much as the Chiefs needed to draft a receiver, I would have rather seen them draft someone who was different from players that they have drafted in the past. Being fast is great, but his deep ball tracking needs work and the Chiefs desperately need someone who can catch deep balls consistently. Still, Chiefs fans can now rest easy knowing they addressed an offensive position of need. Allen may be a player the Chiefs intend on returning punts and kicks. I just don’t know if Allen will turn into a starting caliber receiver, which the Chiefs may need if things go sideways in the receiving room.

Round 7, Pick 249 - Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Grade: C

In a draft that I considered the most important draft in history of the Kansas City Chiefs, their final pick stands out as a head scratching move. Once Garret Nussmeier fell to the seventh round, my first thought was “oh no the Chiefs are going to draft him, aren’t they?” I was joking of course, because why would the Kansas City Chiefs of all teams draft the one position they won’t need for the next decade? Welp, here we are. Chiefs have constantly given backup QBs one-year deals for numerous seasons now, and this move seems to ensure the future of the QB2 position at a cheap price. Also, in a season where Mahomes may not be himself or may miss time to start the season, having a backup QB who can win is a good thing. That was before I remembered the Chiefs signed Justin Fields to do the exact same thing. 

After some time to let this pick settle in, I’ve started to like it a bit more. Nussmeier will have a year to develop in a QB room with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, and in a year, he will likely become our backup QB for the foreseeable future (this is best case scenario for a 7th round pick). It may be an underwhelming pick in an unbelievably important draft for the Chiefs, but this is a smart move for the future. There was very little worthwhile talent left that late in the seventh round, so a pick like this makes sense considering the circumstances. Giving this pick a C may seem a little harsh, but a pick like this is hard to grade when I hope I never have to see him take the field. Also, Nussmeier has a bit of an injury history, which isn’t ideal for a backup QB. At least the NFL won’t have to witness the likes of Chris Oladokun again. Yikes.

Overall Grade: B

The Chiefs seem to believe their offensive struggles in 2025 were due to poor coaching and their defensive struggles were due to the players. Because of this, they opted to use the 2026 draft to completely rebuild the defense. The first few rounds saw the Chiefs taking positions of need and taking some of the best prospects at their respective positions (Delane and Woods for example). R Mason Thomas, Jadon Canady, and Emmitt Johnson are not the absolute best prospects in their position, but they all fill a dire need. Thomas has the potential to play at a high level with his speed and power, Canady will help Nick Bolton and Chamarri Connor defend the middle of the field (a huge weakness of the defense in 2025), and Johnson is the kind of runner to not only fill that RB2 spot but also work as an explosive pass catcher. However, the defensive line was such a mess in 2025 I would have liked to see the Chiefs prioritize that with their first pick rather than drafting corner (not to mention trading up for one). Still, Delane is a phenomenal player and will be great for the Chiefs until he is inevitably traded before his contract year. As for the final two picks, Cyrus Allen may fill a need, but he is the exact kind of receiving prospect that hasn’t worked out for the Chiefs the last few times they’ve tried something like this (Flashback to Skyy Moore). I would have rather the Chiefs try to draft someone who has the capability of catching difficult contested catches, as that is what is lacking in the receiver room at the moment. Garrett Nussmeier does not fill a huge need but removes the yearly loop of signing a backup QB every offseason. Not a bad idea, but was it worth a draft pick? 

In a draft class like this, I value the first few rounds much more when grading this draft because of the drop-off in overall talent, which is why I give it a B. I like the defensive rebuild and I am confident that the Chiefs have drafted what I believe to be multiple future stars, but I still have questions about other positions that either were not addressed at all or were not addressed enough. Let's hope this class looks great in a few years or else the Chiefs’ dynasty may be on death's door.

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