The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of impressive young talent on their roster.
That is especially true on the defensive side of the ball. Players such as Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, Jeffrey Bassa, Mansoor Delane, and Nohl Williams are all either rookies or second-year guys who should have big roles within the unit this season. The Chiefs have the third-youngest overall roster in the NFL, with an average age of 25.7.
CB Nohl Williams Named ‘X-Factor’ for Kansas City Chiefs in 2026
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X factors. Non-QB, non-rookie players that will make or break your team’s season.
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ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak picked one x-factor from all 32 teams who he believes can sway the 2026 season. When it came to the Chiefs, here’s why he picked Williams:
“On a small sample, Williams was sticky. Next Gen Stats tracking had him with a tight window forced on 34.3% of his targets (seventh among all corners) and an average separation on targets of only 2.3 yards (10th among all corners). Average separation to target is a newer but fairly impressive stat; the three highest-performing corners last season were Quinyon Mitchell, Pat Surtain II and Derek Stingley Jr.. This is a group you want to be in.”
That is certainly elite company that Williams is in. If he and Delane are as good as the Chiefs hope they are, Kansas City will have an elite cornerback tandem for years to come.
Nohl Williams Has All the Tools for a Breakout 2026 Season
Williams was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was incredibly productive in college, recording 14 interceptions — including seven in 2024. Williams played well right off the bat as a rookie for Kansas City.
Many fans were frustrated that he wasn’t playing more early on. He eventually did when Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were placed on season-ending injured reserve, starting the final four games. On 457 defensive snaps played, Williams recorded 48 total tackles (four for loss), seven passes defensed, and one sack.
Williams is under contract with Kansas City through the 2028 season. He will be eligible for an extension at the conclusion of 2027. If Williams plays well each of the next two years, it will be interesting to see whether or not the Chiefs extend him. K.C. doesn’t typically invest heavily in the cornerback position financially, but way want to keep Williams and Delane together for the long haul.
Chiefs ‘X-Factor’ Predicted to Make Significant Impact in 2026