Several needs were on the table for the Kansas CIty Chiefs early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Edge rusher and wide receiver, just to name a couple. But when general manager Brett Veach went to finally submit the first top-10 pick ever at his disposal, he wrote down the name of a cornerback.
The Chiefs decided on LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to kick off their 2026 draft festivities in late April, and in the aftermath of the weekend, Veach is being honest about the reasons driving the choice. Not only was it about having the right impact player available, but it was also about the state of the position compared to others.
Veach recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and was asked about trading away cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this offseason. Coming into a pivotal offseason in which McDuffie had every right to expect a long-term, big-money contract extension, Kansas City decided to deal him for a package of draft assets, including No. 29 overall.
But according to Veach, it wasn't just about the loss of McDuffie, It was also about losing their second best cornerback as well, something that compounded the issues in the secondary.
The Chiefs general manager appeared on the Pat McAfee Show to explain the drafting of Mansoor Delane.
"I think we’re always thinking a year to two years out. Our mindset is to just stay fluid. Obviously, that directed our decision to go with Mansoor Delane with that first pick. We were trying to keep that one quiet, but heading into the offseason, obviously we had to make a tough decision trading Trent McDuffie. But in addition to losing Trent, we also lost our cornerback No. 2, Jaylen Watson—ironically both to the Rams," said Veach.Â
"There were a lot of needs we had entering the draft, but it’s very difficult when you lose cornerback number one and cornerback number two. We certainly had our eyes on Mansoor. If there was one way to Steve Spagnuolo’s heart, it’s press corners that like to tackle, so we’re really excited to add him.
"Again, it’s difficult to replace players like Watson, players like McDuffie, but we certainly think Mansoor has the skill set that will fit nicely in this scheme and we’re certainly excited to have him."
Delane is already in rookie minicamp and ready to roll, speaking about his commitment to learning the playbook and doing whatever Spags asks of him as the Chiefs frame out their new secondary following other losses—e.g. safety Bryan Cook, corner Joshua Williams, and more. No single player can make up for what K.C. has lost, but Delane isn't the only answer arriving this spring. Together, the Chiefs have some impressive pieces in place to rebuild once again.
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