Chiefs 2026 Day 3 Draft Grades: Assessing Saturday's Haul

The final day of the 2026 NFL Draft is here, and the Kansas City Chiefs have managed to keep themselves busy up in Pittsburgh.

Prior to Day 3, general manager Brett Veach targeted his guy and got him. A trade-up of three spots for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane set the tone. He then followed things up by investing in some pass rush help, snagging Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at 29th overall.

Day 2's haul consisted of only Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas at pick No. 40. Armed with four picks coming into Day 3, Veach and company had ample flexibility to navigate the board as they saw fit.

On Saturday, Kansas City kicked things off by adding a feisty cornerback, bolstering defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's side of the ball. Where did the Chiefs go from there?

Chiefs On SI is breaking down and grading each Day 3 pick.

Chiefs Grades for Day 3 of 2026 NFL Draft

This story will be updated as the Chiefs' picks roll in.

Round 4: CB Jadon Canady (Oregon)

With their first pick of Day 3 at 109, the Chiefs went back to the cornerback position. Oregon's Jadon Canady follows in the footsteps of Delane as the newest member of Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt's secondary.

Canady has extensive experience, having spent time with multiple schools. He's primarily a slot corner in profile and by trade, as evidenced by his 1,046 snaps there in five years (per Pro Football Focus). With that said, he's also operated on the boundary, in the box and even as a traditional free safety on occasion.

Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing only 181 pounds, Canady almost certainly won't be an outside corner in Kansas City. His 30-inch arms further drive that point home. Given his instincts, agility and NFL readiness, he could still deliver some nice value if put in the proper positions to succeed.

Round 5: RB Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)

The Chiefs finally landed an offensive player on Day 3, trading up with the Pittsburgh Steelers and securing Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson at No. 161 overall. Johnson, who's coming off a tremendous final season with the Cornhuskers, brings plenty of experience and a nice rushing profile to K.C.

Johnson is far from a great athlete, and the annual NFL Scouting Combine proved it. On the other hand, his three-cone and shuttle times registered in the 95th percentile. As a change-of-pace back, he could complement Kenneth Walker III and Emari Demercado well.

No one will confuse Johnson with a receiver, but he can absolutely run some basic route concepts out of the backfield. His solid hands and elusiveness should make him a threat in the open field, especially against linebackers.

All in all, this is a player who should've gone off the board significantly earlier. Based on value alone, that should get a thumbs-up. It's worth wondering if this move means anything for Brashard Smith, a draft pick from a year ago.

Round 5: Cyrus Allen (WR, Cincinnati)

Make that back-to-back offensive players for Kansas City on Day 3. Cincinnati wideout Cyrus Allen, ironically, profiles far and away better as someone who can get cleaner releases in the slot. His speed, agility, and explosiveness form a holy trinity of building blocks as a depth piece.

Allen is a shifty receiver and seems to understand the timing of plays and what's asked of him. He can settle into zones or break off routes against man coverage, which is difficult to find this deep into the draft. That goes without mentioning his special teams versatility.

A very slender frame should prevent Allen from being anything more than a supporting contributor, although the team can always use those both now and later. Allen has a chance to make the roster as a rookie, in this writer's view.

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