Travis Kelce is heading into what could be his final NFL season, and he couldn't be more excited about the reinforcements the Kansas City Chiefs brought in during the 2026 NFL Draft. While some fans scratched their heads at the team's draft-day moves, the star tight end is all-in.
On the latest episode of his New Heights podcast alongside brother Jason, Kelce broke down the Chiefs' draft haul with genuine enthusiasm. He singled out cornerback Mansoor Delane and defensive tackle Peter Woods as key additions, but his highest praise was reserved for second-round edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
“The guy is a (expletive) freak of nature in terms of athleticism and explosiveness,” Kelce said. “I can’t wait to see how this guy gets after the quarterback, man. It’s been kinda something that the Chiefs have been looking at to get better at. That’s getting after the QB and really putting quarterbacks under duress. Obviously, we’ve always had Chris Jones there, and George [Karlaftis] is a (expletive) workhorse. . . . I think this is going to be a game-changer at the edge position.”
The Chiefs entered the draft with two first-round picks after a pre-draft trade and wasted no time making a splash. They traded up from No. 9 to No. 6 with the Cleveland Browns to snag Delane, then added Woods later that night. Thomas came off the board on Day 2, and the team rounded out its class with Oregon cornerback Jadon Canady, Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, Cincinnati wide receiver Cyrus Allen, and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier — whose draft slide finally ended on Saturday.
Kelce’s excitement is understandable. Kansas City’s defense struggled at times in 2025, particularly when opposing offenses put up points. The Chiefs went 0-6 in games where opponents scored more than 20 points, a glaring weakness that the front office clearly aimed to fix.
On offense, the Chiefs already made moves in free agency, adding Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker to bolster the run game. Now, with Thomas and the rest of the rookie class, the defense looks poised to take a step forward. Whether those additions will be enough to offset the players lost and push Kansas City over the top in 2026 remains to be seen — but Kelce is betting on it.
For context, the 2026 draft wasn't without its controversies. Viewership dipped, and some analysts questioned the Chiefs' strategy. But Kelce isn't worried about the noise. He's focused on one last run, and he believes the rookies can help him go out on top.
“We’ll get back to you on that front in about eight months,” he said with a grin.
