Mansoor Delane bet on himself last winter, and the wager paid its biggest dividends yet Thursday.
The talented cornerback transferred to LSU last winter after three seasons at Virginia Tech in hopes of taking his development to another level, testing himself in the SEC and improving his NFL stock.
A unanimous All-American season later, and the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Delane with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Shoot, really just the way I play the game, this confidence they have in me,” Delane said moments later on the ESPN broadcast about what the organization told him. “They weren’t really on me too much in this process, but they said they just wanted to keep it quiet and make that sneak move, and they made the best move in the draft. So I’m excited.”
The 6-0, 182-pound athlete extends the Tigers’ run to now first-round selections in three straight classes and seven of the past eight.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receivers Malik Nabers (Comeaux, Southside) and Brian Thomas Jr. (Walker) all came off the board the first night in 2024, and offensive tackle Will Campbell (Neville) did so in 2025.
Delane also joins elite company about LSU cornerbacks drafted early, most recently including the Houston Texans taking Derek Stingley Jr. (Dunham) in 2022 and the Buffalo Bills taking Tre’Davious White (Green Oaks) in 2017.
Former LSU and NFL star Anthony “Booger” McFarland shared upon the announcement of the Chiefs’ selection that the Tigers’ secondary coach Corey Raymond would put Delane up among the best players at the position to come through Baton Rouge.
The Chiefs traded the No. 9 overall pick and third- and fifth-rounders to move up and take him as the top defensive back and third defensive player overall in this year’s class.
Delane, asked by ESPN what he’d tell his younger self dreaming as a child of the moment, said, “Man, don’t stop now. Don’t stop now. You got what you dreamed of, but, man, let’s make a mark on this league.”
Delane started 11 games this fall, including 45 tackles, 13 passes defensed, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions.
His passes defensed ranked No. 2 in the SEC despite many opponents opting to avoid him as much as possible, helping the Tigers lead the SEC with 17 interceptions as Delane locked down one side of the field and set up his teammates for opportunities.
And he followed the on-field performance with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash as LSU’s Pro Day in March to further cement his status among the top prospects in this year’s draft.
LSU FIRST-ROUND NFL DRAFTEES SINCE 2000
(Year — Pick — Position Player, Franchise — Louisiana HS, if applicable)
2026 — No. 6 — CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs
2025 — No. 4 — OT Will Campbell, New England Patriots — Neville
2024 — No. 2 — QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
2024 — No. 6 — WR Malik Nabers, New York Giants — Comeaux, Southside
2024 — No. 23 — WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars — Walker
2022 — No. 3 — CB Derek Stingley Jr., Houston Texans — Dunham
2021 — No. 5 — WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals — Archbishop Rummel
2020 — No. 1 — QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
2020 — No. 20 — OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 — No. 22 — WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings — Destrehan
2020 — No. 28 — LB Patrick Queen, Baltimore Ravens — Livonia
2020 — No. 32 — RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs — Catholic-Baton Rouge
2019 — No. 5 — LB Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — North Webster
2017 — No. 4 — RB Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars — St. Augustine
2017 — No. 6 — S Jamal Adams, New York Jets
2017 — No. 27 — CB Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills — Green Oaks
2014 — No. 12 — WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants — Isidore Newman
2013 — No. 6 — DE Barkevious Mingo, Cleveland Browns — West Monroe
2013 — No. 18 — S Eric Reid Jr., San Francisco 49ers — Dutchtown
2012 — No. 6 — CB Morris Claiborne, Dallas Cowboys — Fair Park
2012 — No. 14 — DT Michael Brockers, St. Louis Rams
2011 — No. 5 — CB Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
2009 — No. 3 — DE Tyson Jackson, Kansas City Chiefs — West St. John
2008 — No. 5 — DT Glenn Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs — East Ascension
2007 — No. 1 — QB JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders
2007 — No. 6 — S LaRon Landry, Washington Redskins — Hahnville
2007 — No. 23 — WR Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs
2007 — No. 30 — WR Craig Davis, San Diego Chargers — O.P. Walker
20006 — No. 30 — RB Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts
2005 — No. 20 — DE Marcus Spears, Dallas Cowboys — Southern Lab
2004 — No. 15 — WR Michael Clayton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Christian Life