The Kansas City Chiefs entered the NFL draft in need of considerable help across the roster, and they got a lot of it on the defensive side of the football in the early going — including perhaps the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2026.
That is what the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook indicated on Wednesday evening, May 6, as cornerback and No. 6 overall pick Mansoor Delane registered the fifth-best chances of claiming the DROY award at plus-850. Delane has the highest odds of any cornerback and is tied with safety Caleb Downs of the Dallas Cowboys for the best chances of any DB to claim the honor.
David Bailey of the New York Jets is the c0-favorite at plus-500, as he is the most established and purest pass-rusher in the class. Bailey will start Week 1 in New York and has a good chance to spend a lot of time in opposing backfields making impact plays via pressures and sacks.
Rueben Bain Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is tied with Bailey for first at plus-500. His story is going to be similar to Bailey’s, though Bain may not have the double-digit sack ceiling in his rookie year that Bailey should have. That said, Bain is a power-rusher who can also set the edge against the run and make plays in the backfield as both a pass-rusher and run defender.
Arvell Reese, a hybrid player who is likely to line up on the edge but also frequently function as an off-ball linebacker with the New York Giants, was third at plus-650. Washington Commanders LB Sonny Styles has the fourth-best odds at plus-750.
Mansoor Delane Predicted to Contribute Significant Ball Production to Chiefs Defense in Rookie Season
GettyKanas City Chiefs cornerback Mansoor Delane.
Part of the reason that edge-rushers are the top-three DROY favorites is that their production is a little simpler to predict, and potentially to rely on. Something like a sack, one player beating another quickly off the line, has fewer complex elements to it than, for instance, a cornerback making a play on the football for a pass breakup or an interception.
Still, analysts attempt to predict production across every position, which Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated did earlier this month for Delane. According to Geitheim, Delane’s projections include 48 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions as the Chiefs’ CB1 next season.
“Following the departures of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason, the Chiefs retooled their secondary by trading up for LSU corner Mansoor Delane,” she wrote. “In his final season with the [LSU] Tigers, Delane allowed opposing passers to complete only 40% of their attempts against him.”
Kansas City Added Speed to Defensive Front in 1st, 2nd Rounds of NFL Draft
GettyPass-rusher R Mason Thomas, formerly of the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Chiefs also added defensive tackle Peter Woods from Clemson with the No. 29 overall pick and pass-rusher R Mason Thomas at No. 40 out of Oklahoma.
Both are highly athletic for their positions and win with speed, which is a change of pace with regards to the type of players the Chiefs have typically acquired to build out their defensive front.
“The Chiefs are hoping Thomas’ quick first step can translate to the NFL to generate a consistent pass rush from the edge,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote. “Thomas collected nine sacks in just 10 games last season, beating linemen with quickness and strength.”
Odds Suggest Chiefs May Have Drafted NFL’s Top Rookie in 2026