Mansoor Delane labeled best in-draft trade selection by ESPN analyst
By David Wasson
Published:
Trades are always the X factor in every NFL Draft, as teams engineer deals to either move up or down from their positions to either snag the player they desperately want or stockpile picks for future moves.
The 2026 NFL Draft was no exception, as the Kansas City Chiefs made an early move Thursday night with the Cleveland Browns to vault up three spots, from the ninth pick to the sixth, to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.
In exchange, the Browns got the Nos. 9, 74 and 148 picks, using the first one to snag Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano. And it was a move that ESPN analyst Matt Miller believes was the best trade of the entire seven-round draft.
There was enough buzz that the Commanders or Saints would consider Delane to where the Chiefs had to be aggressive in moving up from No. 9 to get him. Desperately needing corners in a draft with only one elite CB prospect, it was smart of them to secure Delane by moving up three spots.
Kansas City essentially replicated its 2022 trade that brought defensive back Trent McDuffie to the Chiefs – a move that immediately inserts Delane as the starter on the outside, while Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams will battle for the other spot.
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.
