The Rich Get Richer: Chiefs Land Draft Steal in All-American RB Emmett Johnson
The Kansas City Chiefs came into Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft already looking like one of the weekend's biggest winners.
Across the first two days, Kansas City leaned heavily into defense. The Chiefs traded up to No. 6 overall to land LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, widely viewed as the top CB in the class, before bolstering the trenches with Clemson’s Peter Woods, arguably the best defensive tackle in the draft, and Oklahoma edge rusher Mason Thomas.
They weren't done there. Early in Round 4 on Saturday, Kansas City added more depth to the secondary with Oregon cornerback Jadon Canady at No. 109 overall.
But the real shock came a round later.
With the No. 161 overall pick, the Chiefs selected Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, one of the most productive and decorated backs in college football last season.
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In 2025, Johnson rushed for 1,451 yards on 251 carries (5.8 yards per attempt) with 12 touchdowns, while adding 46 receptions for 370 yards and three more scores through the air.
That dual-threat production was historic. He became just the seventh Big Ten player since 1956 to eclipse 1,400 rushing yards and 350 receiving yards in a single season, and only the second in the last 20 years, joining former Penn State star Saquon Barkley (2015).
The accolades followed. Johnson was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year, earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, and secured first-team All-American recognition.
Even more telling? He accounted for over 40% of Nebraska's total offense and led the nation in all-purpose yards per game (151.8).
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After a dominant 2025 season, most projections had Johnson coming off the board somewhere between the third and fourth rounds.
Instead, the Chiefs, who have made a habit of capitalizing on draft-day value, landed him late in the fifth.
In other words, Kansas City may have landed one of the most complete offensive weapons in the entire class, five rounds deep.
And just like that, the rich might be getting even richer.
Kansas City already bolstered its backfield this offseason by adding last year’s Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker, but the unit lost depth with the departures of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco.
That leaves veteran Emari Demercado and 2025 seventh-rounder Brashard Smith as the primary competition behind Walker, opening a very real path for Johnson to step into an immediate No. 2 role.
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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 12:54 PM.