Sports

Kansas City Chiefs Already Getting Props for NFL Draft Steal

It’s only May, but the 2026-27 NFL season is just four months away, and teams are getting to know their rookies and starting to put together their final lineups.

Following the NFL draft, hundreds of college players now have NFL homes, and it’s time to size up the top picks.

“The pipeline of prospect analysis has been cut off. All the anticipation over what could happen gave way to the excitement of selections and trades actually happening, and now it’s all in the history books,” Tom Blair of the NFL’s official website says in a Tuesday, May 5 piece. “This portion of the calendar can feel a tad short on fuel for football obsessives.”

In the feature, Blair highlights 10 rookies who he believes could succeed in their first year in the NFL and going forward.

He picks Kansas City Chiefs cornerback rookie Mansoor Delane out of LSU as the No. 3 player most likely to succeed.

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“Delane’s got it all, at least for the purposes of making this list: head-of-the-class talent, a top-10 draft pedigree, extreme stability in his new coaching staff and a premium spot on a roster with a good chance to be competitive,” he says in the piece. “That’s not the easiest combo to pull off, as the majority of early draft picks in recorded history would probably tell you.”

Why It Matters: Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Mansoor Delane

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So, why will Mansoor matter for the Kansas City Chiefs this season? The Chiefs had a difficult 2025-26 season and didn’t make it to the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. They still have a stellar coaching staff, led by Andy Reid, and that staff can help shape Delane into the kind of corner the Chiefs missed having in 2025. Strengthening that position, plus having Patrick Mahomes back, should help the Chiefs return to their former glory.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 10:16 AM.

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