LSU’s Mansoor Delane on Chiefs’ trade-up: ‘They made the best move in the draft’
By David Wasson
Published:
LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane didn’t have to dawdle long inside the green room backstage at the 2026 NFL Draft, as the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to pick him with the No. 6 overall pick.
And Delane also didn’t take long to heap praise on his new team for their foresight in moving up via a trade with the Cleveland Browns to get him.
“They weren’t really on me too much in this process, but they said they wanted to keep it quiet and make that sneak move,” Delane said onstage to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge. “They made the best move in the draft, so I’m excited.”
In order to select Delane, the Chiefs gave the Browns Nos. 9, 74 (third round) and 148 (fifth round) overall picks this season. Delane was the first SEC player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the fifth Tiger to go in the first round in the last three seasons (Jayden Daniels, Mailk Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024, and Will Campbell in 2025).
Delane spent three seasons at Virginia Tech and was a third-team All-ACC selection for the Hokies in 2024 before transferring to Baton Rouge. During his lone season at LSU, Delane’s 11 passes defensed helped earn first-team All-SEC honors and first-team All-American accolades.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
