The Kansas City Chiefs made seven selections in the 2026 NFL draft, including two first-rounders, and all of their picks have had a great training camp/preseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be reliant on several rookies to step up and play big roles on the team this season as they try to bounce back from missing the playoffs in 2025.
The Chiefs made seven selections during the 2026 National Football League draft – two first-rounders, one second-rounder, one fourth-rounder, two fifth-rounders and a seventh-rounder.
Kansas City drafted cornerback Mansoor Delane (No. 6) and defensive tackle Peter Woods (No. 29) in the first round, defensive end R. Mason Thomas (No. 40) in the second round, CB Jadon Canady (No. 109) in the fourth round, running back Emmett Johnson (No. 161) and wide receiver Cyrus Allen (No. 176) in the fifth round and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (No. 249) in the seventh round.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor provided updates on how each draft pick has performed during the preseason.
Delane
Delane missed a chunk of training camp due to a shoulder injury, but he was impressive in his debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is expected to start in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. Taylor said the Chiefs hope he can be a formidable replacement for All-Pro Trent McDuffie, who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the draft.
Woods
The Clemson product displayed athleticism, power and quickness early in training camp but suffered an ankle injury that has kept him from playing a ton of snaps in the first two preseason games. Taylor doesn’t expect Woods to be a starter but he will be in the rotation on third-down and should find success as a pass-rusher.
Thomas
Thomas has had a great camp and has proven that he can get to the QB with excellent speed, a quality that makes him stand out amongst his position group. He will factor into pass-rushing snaps “sooner rather than later.”
Canady
Taylor thinks Canady will spend his rookie season learning behind starter Chris Roland-Wallace but will be a nickel defender for the Chiefs at some point.
Johnson
Johnson will be in the running back rotation due to his dual-threat ability and is in competition with Emari Demercado for the RB2 spot.
Allen
Perhaps the most exciting player to watch in any training camp, Allen had an amazing camp and projects to have a solid role in the passing game. He can blow the top off the defense in man coverage and will be exciting to watch, especially if the receiving room deals with the injury bug.
Nussmeier
“Nussmeier is not afraid to zip the ball into tight coverage,” Taylor wrote Friday. “He'll use this season to essentially redshirt and learn before eventually becoming Patrick Mahomes' long-term backup.”
Nussmeier has been competing with Justin Fields for the QB2 spot but it’s likely that Fields will slot into the primary backup position.
The 53-man roster is due on Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. CDT.
