Mansoor Delane might be the safest (and smartest) draft pick the Chiefs can make

Football is really a sport where the more you learn about it, the dumber you get. When people start to learn the game of football, they learn that some of the most important positions in the game are quarterback, left tackle, pass rusher, and cover corner. As we spend our winters reading scouting reports and concocting mock drafts, we start to forget some of those early lessons and fall in love with traits, arm length, and potential.

At the end of the day, the draft is a pretty simple concept: draft as many good players as possible. Because even if you think you're set at a position, you're a year or a few injuries away from not being set. The Buccaneers surprised us by taking Emeka Egbuka despite already having Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan. Yet very quickly, all those players were injured and Egbuka entered the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. Egbuka had questions about his athleticism and his ability to win as an outside receiver. However, without question, he's a good football player, and that's why he thrived as a rookie.

Mansoor Delane is a good football player, and he plays a position that will always be valuable. He might not be as flashy as Jeremiyah Love. His highlights might not be as cool as Jordyn Tyson's, and his stats might not show up like Rueben Bain's in the College Football Playoff. But what you are getting is a technically sound football player who feels like a very low-risk proposition in an offseason full of risk and change for the Chiefs.

NFL Draft Profile: Masnoor Delane, Corner, LSU

Age: 22 (on draft night)

Height: 6-00

Weight: 190 LBS.

Tape Exposure: Alabama (2025), Texas A&M (2025), Clemson (2025)

Shades of: Darius Slay

Mansoor Delane's background

A native of Maryland, Delane was a 3-star prospect via 247Sports. He committed to Virginia Tech in 2022 and played three seasons for the Hokies. Delane earned playing time as a true freshman, appearing in eight games before becoming a full-time starter as a sophomore and junior. He logged 146 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 6 interceptions at Virginia Tech before entering the transfer portal in 2024. After committing to LSU, he had his best season with 2 interceptions, 11 passes defended, and was PFF's third-highest graded corner in college football. Mansoor's younger brother is a 4-star recruit committed to Ohio State.

What make Mansoor Delane a safe prospect?

Football IQ

Everything about his game speaks to his technique and his savviness as a defensive back. He never panics when the ball is in the air. He gets his head turned around to defend passes. He seamlessly transitions from route to route in zone defenses and triggers well on defenders. He plays the boundary well and can be counted on to do his job snap after snap.

Sticky Coverage

Delane can be found in the hip pocket of every receiver he is asked to cover. His combination of physicality at the line of scrimmage, combined with surprising long speed and short-area quickness, helps him run stride for stride with elite speed threats like KC Concepcion while staying sticky against elite movers like Ryan Williams.

Run Defense

Delane is a reliable run defender willing to stick his nose into a run gap to make a tackle. He can shed blockers on the outside to defend screens and passes to the flat as well.

What Limits Delane as a prospect?

Physical Skill Set

While Delane does not appear to be an outlier in any facet of his game, his build appears to be average. His length is not overwhelming, and neither are his ball skills (interceptions). Delane appears to be an adequate athlete, but not overwhelming. He's competitive on tape against NFL-caliber receivers, so it might not be an issue long term.

Versatilty

Ideally, a Chiefs corner can do many things well. L'Jarius Sneed started off in the slot before kicking outside. He was a great blitzer, as is Trent McDuffie. Delane hasn't really been used in many roles besides boundary cover corner. With that being said, it doesn't mean he can't do it. We've just not got a large body of work that says he can.

Missed Tackles

At times, Delane's eyes can get him in trouble, peeking into the backfield and overshooting a gap. He's got some missed tackles on tape against NFL-caliber prospects. His 10.7 missed tackle rate isn't a massive issue for 2025, but in 2024 he missed 11 tackles, which might not be ideal for the Chiefs, who ask quite a lot of their corners in run defense.

Is Mansoor Delane a smart pick for the Chiefs?

Jaylen Watson is a free agent. Trent McDuffie has been traded. That leaves Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams as the core players remaining on the roster. Relying on Fulton to be healthy for a full season is a pipe dream. Similarly, Williams has not yet proven he can be relied on full-time. It's also notable that Jalen Ramsey, Denzel Ward, Jeff Okudah, Jaycee Horn, Sauce Gardner, and Derek Stingley Jr. are all top-10 corners selected in the last 10 years. The hit rate is pretty high on high-end corner prospects.

Mansoor Delane is an instinctual boundary corner who uses his frame, football IQ, and length to dominate opposing receivers. He is technically sound with fluid hips and strong coverage skills. With growth in ball production and run support, he could grow into an elite NFL cover corner.

Round Grade: Purple Chip (1st round talent)