The Kansas City Chiefs have made their fifth selection of the 2026 NFL Draft at pick 161, and the offense finally got a turn.
Round 5 – Pick 161: Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
Johnson was ranked the 102nd prospect and the fifth-ranked corner by Arrowhead Pride’s consensus rankings.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler saw Johnson as the fourth-ranked running back in this class and graded him as a third-to-fourth round pick in his draft
guide, “The Beast.”
The 22-year-old Johnson measured in at 5 feet 10 inches tall and 205 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine and posted the following numbers:
- 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
- Vertical leap: 35 1/2 inches
- Broad jump: 10 feet
Johnson comes to Kansas City after four years at the University of Nebraska, but it was the 2025 season that put him on the map as a future NFL draft pick. Johnson ran for the most rushing yards in the Big Ten conference with 1,451 yards, plus 370 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry over a conference-leading 251 rushing attempts. It all culminated in First Team All-American honors.
Johnson proved himself last season as a volume back, but he also has a positive profile as a pass catcher. He has 92 career receptions with 702 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Over the last two seasons, he has been a valued part of the passing game and has only had one drop registered, per Pro Football Focus.
When looking at him inserted into the Chiefs’ running back rotation, it’s a clear fit as the direct backup to lead back Kenneth Walker, which sets up Emari Demercado to focus on pass downs as more of a third-down back.
