Six things to know about Chiefs first-round NFL Draft selection Mansoor Delane
The Kansas City Chiefs made an aggressive move in the 2026 NFL Draft, trading up to No. 6 overall to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. The pick fills a major void created when the team traded Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this offseason.
Here are key takeaways:
- The Chiefs sent the No. 9 pick along with a third-rounder (No. 74) and a fifth-rounder (No. 148) to the Cleveland Browns to move up three slots to No. 6 overall and select Delane.
- Vice president of player personnel Ryne Nutt praised Delane’s “extreme versatility,” saying he can play off-man, press man and zone coverage both inside and outside.
- Delane transferred from Virginia Tech to LSU for his senior season and became the 14th unanimous All-America selection in LSU history, finishing with 45 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions.
- The cornerback opening came after the Chiefs traded McDuffie to the Rams in March 2026, a deal that led to McDuffie becoming the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
- Delane is projected to sign a fully guaranteed four-year rookie deal worth about $42 million, and Nutt said the trade-up required the blessing of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt.
- Delane told The Star he was surprised by the pick because the Chiefs never hosted him on a visit, meeting with him only via Zoom during the predraft process.
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.
Pete Sweeney
The Kansas City Star