What to know about the Chiefs’ 7 NFL Draft picks at this week’s rookie minicamp
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs used seven 2026 draft picks, taking four defensive players in early rounds.
- The Chiefs traded three picks to Cleveland to move up and select Mansoor Delane at No. 6.
- Kansas City ended the draft by selecting QB Garrett Nussmeier in Round 7.
Members of the Chiefs’ recently drafted 2026 NFL Draft rookie class will gather together in Kansas City this week for the first time.
The seven drafted players and other rookie free agents will take part in the team’s annual two-day rookie minicamp on Friday and Saturday at the Chiefs’ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium facilities.
The Chiefs drafted defensive players with their first four picks before turning to offense and ending with a surprise quarterback selection.
Here’s what to know about the Chiefs’ draft haul of seven newcomers, including four on defense beginning with LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 6 overall.
• Round 1 (No. 6): CB Mansoor Delane, LSU — The Chiefs traded three picks to Cleveland to move up from No. 9 to draft this cornerback from the LSU Tigers. Delane was a unanimous All-American after transferring from Virginia Tech, allowing minimal production as quarterbacks largely avoided throwing his way.
• Round 1 (No. 29): DT Peter Woods, Clemson — Kansas City’s second first-round pick continued the defensive focus.
• Round 2 (No. 40): Edge R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma — The 6-foot-2, 241-pound first-team All-SEC selection had 6 1/2 sacks last season. The “R” in his name is not an abbreviation — it reflects his mother’s family tradition of male names beginning with R.
• Round 4 (No. 109): CB Jadon Canady, Oregon — The 5-foot-10 nickel corner from Jacksonville, Florida, brings special teams value as a “productive gunner,” scout Greg Castillo said. He’s the Chiefs’ second cornerback pick after the team traded Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency.
• Round 5 (No. 161): RB Emmett Johnson, Nebraska — The Big Ten running back of the year led FBS with 151.8 rushing yards per game and 46 receptions among running backs. He’s the first Cornhusker drafted by Kansas City since 1998.
• Round 5 (No. 176): WR Cyrus Allen, Cincinnati — The 5-foot-11 wideout caught 13 touchdowns at Cincinnati after stops at Louisiana Tech and Texas A&M.
• Round 7 (No. 249): QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU — The Chiefs drafted a quarterback for the first time since Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Once a Heisman frontrunner, Nussmeier fell after an abdominal injury limited him to nine games in 2025.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
