The Kansas City Chiefs made a big move in the 2026 draft by trading up from the ninth pick to the sixth spot. General manager Brett Veach moved quickly to land LSU Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane, a player he felt the team truly needed. Their newly signed free agent safety, Alohi Gilman, shared his thoughts about Delane.

Gilman played a key role in stabilizing the Baltimore Ravens’ defense. In March this year, the Chiefs agreed to a three-year, $24.75 million deal with Gilman. He now feels safer in Kansas City.

“I was super excited about that," the safety said. "The staff, Veach doing a great job, just being aggressive as well. The best corner in the draft, so guys got to be excited about that."

Safeties and corners must operate as a single unit to shut down scoring drives. Alohi views Mansoor as a crucial addition, one that will make his own job much easier this season. 

"He's going to make our team better, he's going to make our defense better," Gilman added. "It makes me happy because it makes my job easier when I got guys like that."

The former LSU Tigers cornerback, with the Freshman All-America honors, put any concerns about his speed to rest at his Pro Day, clocking a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. He also went the entire season without a single penalty, which must be appealing to Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo.

He uses strong hands and quick feet to disrupt wide receivers right at the start of a play. At 6’0”, 187 pounds, Delane is a bit undersized in terms of weight for the position, but it has not been a problem on the field. His 30-inch arms are only a quarter inch longer than Trent McDuffie’s.

“A press corner in this league is hard, and a guy who can do that, I think he's the guy to do that," Gilman shared.

Even while playing through a painful injury last year, he remained an elite defender. Delane only allowed 40% completion rate and a 31.3 passer rate when targeted. Alohi believes Mansoor is their player.

Mansoor Delane Shares His Feelings After Being Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City’s secondary will undergo a significant transition in 2026, as McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, and Bryan Cook have left. Delane is among those expected to step in.

Although he was hoping to land with the Chiefs, the actual moment left him surprised.

“I get the phone call, and the Chiefs already traded up, and I was like, 'Dang it, I wanted to go to the Chiefs,'" he shared. Then I looked down for a quick second, I picked up the phone, and I’m like, 'Woah, this is crazy.' That’s when the emotion came to me."

During his four years playing for Virginia Tech and LSU, he caught eight interceptions, blocked 27 passes, and made 191 tackles. Now in the NFL, Delane shared that drafting him will be the best decision that the Chiefs have ever made.

“It’s the best move,” Delane said. “I truly believe that defense wins championships."

Last season, the Chiefs ranked 10th in total defense. Can Delane keep his words? Share your thoughts.

Read more at Kansas City Chiefs Community.

Written by

Aaindri Thakuri

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar