After leaning heavily into a well-planned defensive transformation with their first four selections of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs have finally given Patrick Mahomes some help on the offensive side.
With the 161st overall pick in the fifth round, the Chiefs have drafted Emmett Johnson, a running back out of Nebraska. To get to Johnson, the Chiefs traded up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, sending No. 169 overall and 210 to move up and drop to No. 249 overall.
Johnson is coming off of a very strong junior season at Nebraska, in which he rushed for 1,451 yards on 251 carries with 12 touchdowns. It was the first 1,000-yard rushing season for a Husker since 2018. He also led the team with 46 receptions for 370 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. Johnson led the nation in scrimmage yards per game (151.8) and accounted for 40.7% of Nebraska's total offensive yards during the regular season.
The Chiefs have made an overhaul of the backfield one of the primary focuses of this entire offseason, which was made clear by the signing of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three-year contract worth up to $45 million. From there, the Chiefs also added former Arizona Cardinals back Emari Demercado as another explosive option to go with Brashard Smith, who was the only holdover from last year's stable of running backs on the roster.
Before turning the page with the selection of Johnson, the Chiefs had loaded up on young talent for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. He added two new impressive players in the secondary to help compensate for offseason losses of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson (and more) with the drafting of Mansoor Delane of LSU and Jadon Canady of Oregon.
The Chiefs also used first- and second-round picks on a defensive front that needed serious attention. Chris Jones got some big-time help in the form of Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29 overall. After releasing Mike Danna and losing Charles Omenihu in free agency, the Chiefs also added Oklahoma pass rusher R Mason Thomas, who brings serious juice and athleticism off the edge and should be an instant asset on passing downs.
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