Five thoughts on the Chiefs selecting cornerback LSU Mansoor Delane at No. 6
A week ago, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said he anticipated some first-round trades in this year’s NFL Draft.
The first, in Round 1 on Thursday night, came inside the building.
The Chiefs traded up to No. 6 to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, relinquishing the No. 9 overall pick and their third- and fifth-round selections to the Browns in order to do it.
Here are five immediate thoughts on the move, with plenty more coverage to come from The Star as the first round progresses. We’ll get general manager Brett Veach and Andy Reid later in the evening:
1. The Trent McDuffie fallout
There will be a through-line from the Chiefs trading All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams this offseason in exchange for draft picks — and then using draft picks to acquire a cornerback.
It’s there. The McDuffie trade created an obvious need.
But if you’re confused about what amounts to moving McDuffie, a proven player, out of the building and bringing Delane in, consider one other aspect:
Money.
McDuffie signed a 4-year, $125 million contract in Los Angeles, the richest for a cornerback in league history.
Delane will sign in the neighborhood of a four-year, $42 million deal with a $27 million signing bonus.
The Chiefs have to hope that’s the only difference — that their play is far more similar than their pay. And when you make a move to sixth overall, the pressure is on for it to work.
It has to.
2. The positional value
This draft offered a unique set of circumstances for teams picking in the top 10: The best talent doesn’t occupy the best positions.
The Chiefs went with a premium position, but here’s the difficult aspect of it: They draft and develop cornerbacks extremely well — without needing to use top draft capital to do it.
The Chiefs have turned undrafted Charvarius Ward, fourth-rounder L’Jarius Sneed and seventh-rounder Jaylen Watson into reliable starters. And third-rounder Nohl Williams looks to have some promise.
Yes, McDuffie was a first-round pick, so the talent matters. But they’ve gotten by with fewer expenses at the position.
3. The trickle-down effect
The draft class began with defense.
But is it a sign of what the Chiefs will prioritize offensively?
They have an obvious need at wide receiver, both immediately and the long-term — yet they opted for a cornerback for their highest draft pick since 2013.
There are a couple of reasons they could pass on selecting a wide receiver.
The most notable possibility? They won’t be using them as frequently. The Chiefs have said they want to better utilize their interior offensive line in the run game in 2026, coupling that adjustment with Patrick Mahomes returning from a season-ending ACL injury.
Their actions speak louder. They signed Kenneth Walker to a rich deal, top-5 running back money. And rather than addressing receiver immediately, they moved to cornerback first.
We’ll see if they address wide receiver at No. 29 or 40 — barring another trade, of course.
4. What prompted it?
The second possible reason to go offense first? It’s a reaction to the five picks ahead of them.
The initial surprise of this draft arrived at No. 4, when Tennessee selected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate.
The Chiefs moved in front of Washington, which needs help at cornerback and has a defensive-minded head coach.
But they didn’t have a chance to draft the offensive player to which I’ve long tied them: Tate.
5. The value
The Chiefs overpaid to move up — slightly.
The Chiefs gave up a third- and fifth-round selection to move up three spots in the first round.
But according to the Rich Hill draft pick value chart, they traded surplus value that equates to about a late fourth rounder.
So it was a pricey decision — which is almost always the case for the teams who move up early.
This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 8:18 PM with the headline "Five thoughts on the Chiefs selecting cornerback LSU Mansoor Delane at No. 6."