KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs traded up three spots in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night and selected LSU's Mansoor Delane, making him the first cornerback taken and filling arguably their biggest positional need.
The Chiefs, who also have the No. 29 overall pick, sent the ninth selection to Cleveland along with No. 74 and No. 148 to move up and ensure they got the cornerback they wanted. The Browns moved down for the second straight year, going from No. 2 to No. 4 last year in a move that included Jacksonville's first-round pick this year.
“They made the best move in the draft," Delane said of the Chiefs, "and I'm excited.”
Delane had emerged as the top cornerback available after following three seasons at Virginia Tech with an All-American season with the Tigers. He made 45 tackles and two interceptions in 11 starts and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
The Chiefs traded standout cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams earlier in the offseason in a deal that landed them their second first-round pick this year, along with fifth- and sixth-rounders and a third-round pick in 2027. But that move also created a large void in the defensive backfield, and it became even bigger when fellow starter Jaylen Watson also headed to Los Angeles in free agency.
Delane should fit perfectly in the press man-to-man defense favored by Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, leaving Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams to compete for the other starting cornerback spot in the secondary.
“I wanted to go to the Chiefs. I just wasn't expecting it,” Delane said. “I picked up the phone and I'm like, ‘Whoa, this is crazy.’ That's when just the emotion came to me. I was just so blessed to be on a team like this.”
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The pick was the highest by Kansas City since 2013, when the Chiefs selected left tackle Eric Fisher first overall in coach Andy Reid's first season in charge. It's also the third time since Reid's arrival they've used a first-round pick on a cornerback — Marcus Peters was the 18th pick in the 2015 draft and McDuffie was the 21st choice four years ago.
Many had linked Kansas City to one of the top edge rushers in the first round, such as Rueben Bain Jr., which is another of their most pressing needs. The Chiefs also have been interested in wide receivers; Jordyn Tyson went two picks later to New Orleans.
There is a chance they can address those other needs with the 29th pick later Thursday night.
In the meantime, they got the cornerback they wanted right away.
“Everyone was saying the needs for my position and whatnot. The communication with the Chiefs wasn't too much. I really didn't expect it,” Delane said. “All my emotions came out when I seen the Kansas City number come across my phone. Just a blessing.”
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