The Kansas City Chiefs made it clear just how badly they wanted Mansoor Delane when they traded up to select the LSU cornerback sixth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Delane was widely viewed as the best cornerback in his class, but many also believed he could fall a little later in the first round. So far through training camp, however, he's shown exactly why the Chiefs were so high on him.
Delane has reportedly been ultra-competitive going against Kansas City's top receivers in man-to-man coverage during practice, including Rashee Rice, Tyquan Thornton, and fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen. He's been so aggressive that head coach Andy Reid has had to slow him down a bit. "You can see the talent," Reid said of Delane before Chiefs practice Wednesday.
"These next couple of weeks will be good for him. He's definitely not afraid out there, or hesitant. If anything, you've got to tell him, 'OK, slow down and get those hands off of [the receiver].' He wants to snatch everybody.
I mean, we play man [coverage]." Reid's comments come just before the Chiefs' next preseason matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, a game in which Delane is expected to make his official preseason debut. More news: Vita Vea’s Future With Bucs Takes Surprising Turn After Trade Request More news: Eagles’ $100 Million Man in Doubt for Week 1 The 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback earned first-team All-SEC and unanimous All-American honors during his lone season at LSU in 2025. He recorded 45 combined tackles, 11 pass breakups, and two interceptions across 11 games while routinely going up against the SEC's top receivers.
Coming into the draft, Delane drew comparisons to Philadelphia Eagles star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who earned first-team All-Pro honors last season and has emerged as one of the league's premier young shutdown corners. The Chiefs moved on from several key defensive backs this offseason, including All-Pro Trent McDuffie, veteran safety Bryan Cook and cornerback Jaylen Watson. And as Kansas City's first-round pick, Delane is expected to step into a starting role immediately, lining up opposite L'Jarius Sneed.
Saturday will give Chiefs fans their first live look at their highly touted rookie, and based on what he's shown throughout camp, expectations are already sky-high. More news: 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Reveals Real Reason Behind Christian McCaffrey’s Absence
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