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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 23: Mansoor Delane (R) of LSU poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) after being selected sixth overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

We knew it would be crucial for the Kansas City Chiefs to hit on multiple picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it appears they did.

Of course, we won’t know for sure until the players prove what they got on the field. Sometimes that can take up to a year or longer, but hopefully at least a few make an impact as rookies. If the Chiefs are going to return to Super Bowl contention in 2026, that will be a must.

Kansas City Chiefs CB Mansoor Delane Named Third-Best Pick of 2026 NFL Draft

ESPN draft expert Matt Miller put together his top 100 best picks of this year’s draft. He based his criteria off of value, scheme fit, and need. Delane to the Chiefs at No. 6 overall landed third on his list.

“Trading up from No. 9 to No. 6 to draft Delane was one of my favorite moves for a couple of reasons. With three Super Bowl wins and two more appearances since 2019, the Chiefs don’t pick this high very often, so I liked that they maximized this rarity and aggressively pursued one of only two corners with a Round 1 grade. And Delane could have easily been off the board had they waited, as the Commanders (No. 7) and Saints (No. 8) were realistic landing spots. The Chiefs also needed an impact corner after the offseason departures of Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, whom Delane reminds me of due to his ball skills, toughness and speed in-phase.”

The Chiefs trading up to get Delane may have been a mild shock to some, but the writing was always on the wall. General manager Brett Veach consistently stated during the pre-draft process that they had to land a blue-chip prospect who plays a premium position, because Kansas City won’t likely be picking in the top 10 much again in the immediate future.

DT Peter Woods, WR Cyrus Allen, QB Garrett Nussmeier Also Make List

Miller had Woods, the Chiefs’ No. 29 overall pick, come in at 51st on his list.

“Woods did not rank as a first-rounder on my board despite entering the year as a top-10 prospect. But there is a need for a 3-technique of the future in Kansas City with Chris Jones being 32 years old and starting to decline. Woods’ movement ability is easy to see on tape and in workouts, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have to get more consistency from him. At just 21, there is plenty of room for Woods to grow. And if I had to pick one defensive tackle in this class who should be a better pro than college player, it would be Woods thanks to his position-specific tools and traits.”

Although he’ll primarily be a backup, Miller believes that Nussmeier was a great value at No. 249 overall for Kansas City, coming in at 97th on his list.

“The Chiefs obviously don’t need a quarterback, but selecting Nussmeier in the final 10 picks after he was universally regarded as a top-100 selection is smart value. And why not invest in a quarterback who showed Round 1 talent in 2024 as a potential fixer-upper who could be flipped for extra draft capital down the road? Justin Fields is locked in as Patrick Mahomes’ backup for this season, but the future of that spot is open and not a bad living for Nussmeier.”

Finally, Allen just made Miller’s list at No. 99. He was selected by the Chiefs at 178th overall.

“We knew Chiefs GM Brett Veach couldn’t resist adding speed at wide receiver in this class. Allen can fly, with great short-area quickness and burst to go alongside good long speed (4.49) and vertical stretch ability. He’ll need to work to show he can contribute on returns, but with Rashee Rice on the last year of his contract and Xavier Worthy not producing like a former first-rounder so far, it was wise of Kansas City to throw late-round picks at a position of need.”

If those four guys turn out to be as good as Miller believes they will, the Chiefs definitely had a successful draft. Although they didn’t make Miller’s list, expect second-round pick R Mason Thomas and four-round pick Jadon Canady to get plenty of snaps as rookies in 2026. In addition to that, fifth-round pick Emmett Johnson could work his way up to second-string running back behind Kenneth Walker III.