The Kansas City Chiefs\u2019 2026 NFL Draft is complete. Here\u2019s our initial fire-from-the-hip reaction to all of the picks.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Peter Woods is selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the number 29 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The 2026 NFL Draft has come to a close, and the Kansas City Chiefs have come away with an absolute hau<\/a>l. It started with heavy investments on the defensive side of the ball before pivoting to some savvy decisions on the offensive side on Day 3. <\/p>\n While we really won\u2019t know how this class grades out for several years, our fire-from-the-hip grades can serve as a baseline for expectations of what\u2019s to come. <\/p>\n \t\t\tTable of contents<\/p>\n Chiefs\u2019 final draft grades for the 2026 class<\/p>\n Round 1, No. 6: LSU CB Mansoor Delane<\/p>\n My initial grade for the Delane pick was more about the trade than the player. After hearing the Chiefs\u2019 justification, I do think they are smart to move up and secure a player they had ranked as a top-five prospect on their board. The team doesn\u2019t expect to be drafting this high often, so getting the guy you want is paramount. <\/p>\n The player deserves a much better grade, so I\u2019ve decided to upgrade it. Delane proved to be an elite cornerback in the SEC last season. He\u2019s the type of player who can travel with and eliminate a No. 1 wide receiver from an opposing team\u2019s game plan. As good as he is at limiting receivers and cornerbacks, he\u2019s also not afraid to do the dirty work. He\u2019ll tackle, play in the slot, blitz, and do whatever diabolical thing Steve Spagnuolo asks of him.<\/p>\n Final Grade: B+<\/p>\n Round 1, No. 29: Clemson DT Peter Woods<\/p>\n I think I\u2019m probably a little too high on this pick for Kansas City, but I can\u2019t help but fall in love with the flashes. His ability to shed single blockers is absolutely elite. When he\u2019s on the field with Chris Jones, it\u2019s going to put interior offensive linemen in a no-win situation. His lateral agility and first-step quickness will almost certainly translate. <\/p>\n I think the big thing here is that the Chiefs shouldn\u2019t ask him to do too much too quickly. Yes, he played a lot of one-technique in 2025. Then in 2024, he played like over 30% of his defensive snaps on the edge. Joe Cullen and Steve Spagnuolo would be wise to let him settle at the three-technique spot for Kansas City in Year 1 and add layers as he grows and learns. <\/p>\n Final Grade: A-<\/p>\n Round 2, No. 40: Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas<\/p>\n This pick is only as good as the execution in implementing Thomas into the defense. This is very much a collaborative process between Brett Veach and the coaching staff, so I have no doubt that Steve Spagnuolo signed off on it. The fact that he deviates so far from the prototypical edge rusher in Kansas City is what worries me. <\/p>\n All of that said, there\u2019s a lot to be excited about here if it works. Thomas is a dynamic pass-rusher who creates many disruptive plays. He has a penchant for making game-changing plays in the most pivotal moments. Against Auburn this year, for instance, he earned the nickname: \u201cThe Closer.<\/a>\u201d He went off script on a fourth-down play with Auburn backed up against their goal line. He told the entire defensive line to drop back into coverage and allow him to rush solo against the Tigers\u2019 O-Line and QB Jackson Arnold. He got past the O-Line and to Arnold, resulting in a safety and an Oklahoma win. <\/p>\n Final Grade: B<\/p>\n Round 4, No. 109: Oregon CB Jadon Canady<\/p>\n Losing Trent McDuffie didn\u2019t just mean the Chiefs lost their No. 1 corner, but it also meant they lost their best slot cornerback. Canady is going to come in and immediately compete with Kader Kohou for that role. This is a big deal because it will help keep Chamarri Conner at safety, where he\u2019s most valuable to the defense. <\/p>\n He\u2019ll be a 23-year-old rookie, but with that comes a ton of experience. He has 42 career starts across five seasons of college football, taking snaps at perimeter corner, nickel corner, and multiple safety positions. He\u2019s Tyrann Mathieu-esque in that he can really do it all in the secondary. He\u2019s also played in three different systems at Tulane, Ole Miss, and Oregon, which should make it easy and quick for him to adapt to the NFL game.<\/p>\n Final Grade: B-<\/p>\n Round 5, No. 161: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson<\/p>\n Kenneth Walker and Emari Demercado weren\u2019t enough for Kansas City. They needed to make another addition at the running back position in order to accomplish their offseason goal. That is to completely revamp and rebuild the running game in the image of new RB coach DeMarco Murray and OC Eric Bieniemy. <\/p>\n Johnson isn\u2019t the biggest or the fastest in this draft class, but he\u2019s absolutely a complete running back. In 2025, he led the Big Ten with 1,451 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He was second among all FBS running backs in catches with 46 and only had one drop on the season. He\u2019s only 22 years old and will have time to grow in the system behind Walker and Demercado. <\/p>\n Final Grade: A<\/p>\n Round 5, No. 176: Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen<\/p>\n
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