The Kansas City Chiefs endured their worst season under Andy Reid in 2025, going 6-11 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
The reward? The Chiefs were granted their first, top-10 selection since the 2017 NFL Draft, when they traded up to select Patrick Mahomes.
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Kansas City will hope to have similar success with its 2026 first-round picks. The Chiefs traded up from the No. 9 spot to No. 6 overall to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. They also used their second, first-round selection to add a high-upside talent, Peter Woods, to their defense.
Will those be enough to help the Chiefs regain form? General manager Brett Veach’s haul earned solid but unspectacular grades among NFL draft experts, including some from USA TODAY Sports.
Here’s how the Chiefs’ individual picks graded out, as well as a grade for their overall draft class:
Chiefs NFL draft pick grades
The Chiefs made seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at how each of their picks graded out, per USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz and Jacob Camenker:
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Round 1, Pick 6. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU – Grade: B-
This wasn’t the seismic trade that many were expecting, but it’s still meaningful. Kansas City moved up ahead of Washington to ensure it would land Delane, this class’ unquestioned top cover man. In doing so, Brett Veach reloads his secondary after offloading Trent McDuffie. Despite the franchise’s habit of developing younger corners, Kansas City now has a bit more confidence in its ability to answer for Justin Herbert and Bo Nix, whose passing attacks could take a step forward next year. But the Chiefs missed a prime opportunity to address their pass rush, and any coverage benefits might be moot if the team can’t generate sufficient pressure. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Round 1, Pick 29. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson – Grade: C
Kansas City simply couldn’t afford to stand pat in its pass rush, which has too long relied on Chris Jones to prop it up. But can Woods be entrusted with returning the front to its previous standard? Touted as a potential top-five pick coming into the season, he didn’t come close to living up to expectations. Maybe he’ll find his form working alongside Jones, but his underwhelming trajectory shouldn’t give the Chiefs much confidence. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
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Round 2, Pick 40. R Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma – Grade: B
The Chiefs didn’t prioritize their edge rush in the early going but circle back to the glaring need here. Thomas is a bit of an odd fit for Steve Spagnuolo, who has typically preferred rangier edge threats. A sawed-off defender in the mold of former Sooner Nik Bonitto, Thomas should be able to generate some splash plays, but he could have trouble finding consistency early in his career. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Round 4, Pick 109. Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon – Grade: B+
Kansas City continues to rebuild its cornerback room after losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Though undersized, Canady checks off plenty of other boxes as a reliable coverage presence. He can hold down a slot role with Mansoor Delane on the outside. Don’t be surprised if he’s the latest mid-round defensive back to outplay his draft slot for the Chiefs. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
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Round 5, Pick 161. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska – Grade: A-
The Chiefs continue to remake their running back room after signing Kenneth Walker in free agency. Johnson has great vision and was productive at Nebraska, racking up a whopping 1,821 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns on 297 touches during his final season with the Cornhuskers. – Jacob Camenker
Round 5, Pick 176. Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati – Grade: B+
The fit here is extremely enticing. Allen stresses defenses vertically as a slot option. Guess who might find that calling card appealing? Patrick Mahomes will surely appreciate having a twitchy target who’s capable of beating man coverage, though it could take time to foster a connection. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
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Round 7, Pick 249. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU – Grade: A
The Chiefs finally ended Nussmeier’s slide. The LSU product has the tools needed to develop into a starter, including an NFL-caliber arm and solid mobility. He also comes with a gunslinger mentality that saw him put the ball in harm’s way a bit too often during his time as a starter.
If Nussmeier can clean up that issue and get healthy after being hampered by a core injury – which was reportedly caused by a spinal cyst – in 2025, he should find success in the NFL. Developing behind Patrick Mahomes and learning from Andy Reid could be ideal for his career. – Jacob Camenker
Chiefs draft grades
USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis gave the Chiefs a B- for their performance in the 2026 NFL Draft, which ranked 21st among the NFL’s 32 teams.
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Analysis:
We’ve seen this movie before – four years ago, when K.C. surrendered a known commodity (WR Tyreek Hill) in order to get younger and address multiple positions through a draft youth movement. Ironically, CB Trent McDuffie, the first player the Chiefs chose in 2022 and later a key component of the dynasty, was spun off to the Rams this year for a second slot in Round 1. Also noteworthy, GM Brett Veach and HC Andy Reid did little in the draft to directly help QB Patrick Mahomes, who ended last season on injured reserve with a shredded knee after spending most of 2025 running for his life. Nevertheless, this year’s top four selections were all invested defensively, Mansoor Delane (6th overall) widely viewed as the draft’s top corner and an immediate replacement for McDuffie. Peter Woods (Round 1), R Mason Thomas (Round 2) and Jadon Canady (Round 4) add further juice and depth to the defense … though it remains to be seen if that means an immediate Lombardi Trophy, which McDuffie, George Karlaftis and others helped to deliver instantly in 2022.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chiefs 2026 NFL Draft grades: Report cards for every player taken
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