LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane is one of the most productive CBs in college football, and he keeps excelling across nearly all key metrics. He is capable of handling various coverages effectively and proves phenomenal route awareness. It goes without saying that joining LSU’s defense has been an excellent step for Delane’s growth and performance.
Mansoor Delane Projected to Land with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs have seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the No. 9 overall pick. The team traded away its original sixth- and seventh-round picks and is projected to receive a compensatory fifth-round pick.
In his latest mock draft, PFSN analyst Josh Weil projected the Chiefs to select Mansoor Delane with the No. 9 pick.
“While the Kansas City defense was their bright spot this season, they don’t have any defensive backs with the upside of Mansoor Delane to be a top corner in this league and completely shut down a team’s primary option,” Weil wrote. “While Delane lacks the top-end speed that some teams desire from their corners, he makes up for it with elite instincts and awareness that allow him to have incredible potential as an NFL player.
“While some have Kansas City looking for an offensive weapon to replace Travis Kelce, either immediately or soon, as his career is definitely on the back end, I think they should focus on bringing more upside to an excellent defense and address the offense in free agency.”
Some analysts noted inconsistent punch timing in Delane’s press coverage and limited recovery speed against elite receivers. However, he made an immediate impact after transferring to LSU from Virginia Tech, recording an interception and three passes defended in his LSU debut in a 17-10 win over Clemson on Aug. 30.
Delane started 11 games in 2025, playing 358 coverage snaps while allowing just 13 receptions for 147 yards and six first downs. He earned first-team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America, becoming one of 13 players nationally to achieve unanimous All-America status in 2025.
In his junior season in 2024 at Virginia Tech, Delane started all 12 games, posting 54 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and four interceptions to earn third-team All-ACC honors. As a sophomore with the Hokies, he started all 13 games with 54 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and one interception. He played eight games with four starts as a true freshman in 2022, earning True Freshman All-America recognition from 247Sports.
Delane is the No. 1 cornerback in the PFSN College Football CB Impact Metric, holding a 96.8 rating.
