Saturday gave the Chiefs 2026 rookie draft class its first taste of what an NFL training camp is all about. And not just any NFL training camp, but one led by one of the league’s last old war horses, head coach Andy “Long-drive Drill” Reid.
And you could see it on the face of second-round draft pick R Mason Thomas when he stood
at the podium in front of reporters after practice. He looked a bit tuckered and said that he was reminded by the words Reid said to him this offseason, “We don’t have to condition because the practice is that hard.”
As for his cohort and fellow top-100 draft pick, first-round defensive tackle Peter Woods said that he came away liking what he’s seen out of his teammates thus far, and that he could tell they spent the offseason getting their minds and bodies ready to go.
“A lot of guys impressed me from the aspect,” Woods told reporters. “Just knowing what they were supposed to do when they weren’t here.”
Which is good, because both Woods and Thomas know that once the veterans show up, things are going to escalate quickly.
“The veterans have a standard for what they want to see from us young guys,” said Woods, explaining that there is an expectation he needs to live up to in the eyes of his teammates being the new guy.
Both guys also highlighted the importance of working on their technique to make sure they have the little things locked down. “You know sometimes in college you can get away with some stuff,” said Woods quite frankly. “But these guys are very detail-oriented…I’m going against some of the best guys in the whole world at their position, and they don’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Similarly, Thomas highlighted that, because he’s undersized for his position (standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing in at 241 pounds), he needs to play with more power; he believes being fundamentally sound is the path to reaching his goal.
“I think technique outweighs the weight room,” said Thomas. “Technique kind of saves you when you might not be the ideal weight.”
That, and studying the scheme, of course.
“Knowing the playbook,” Thomas assured. “That helps you play fast.”
Both Woods and Thomas talked about refining their footwork to make sure they play with a strong base and don’t sacrifice power by overstriding or getting off balance.
Due to Thomas’ size, technique will always be more important for him than other players on the line of scrimmage, which is why he said he has tried to model his game after Denver Broncos star pass rusher Nick Bonito, another former Oklahoma Sooner, who is nearly the exact same size as Thomas is.
“That’s going to be my answer for a long time,” joked Thomas. “Guys who fit my stature.”
Thomas went on to say that playing for the Chiefs is a dream come true for him.
“I never would have thought Kansas City, Missouri, area code would have called me on draft day,” laughed Thomas, saying that other than one official meeting at the combine, the Chiefs had no other pre-draft contact with him. “I guess they’re low-key and like to be quiet.”
As for Woods, he’s just excited to get the pads on and hit somebody. “That’s why I play the game… I’m super eager; it’s been almost a year since I’ve been able to put some pads on and hit somebody.”
You’re not the only one, Mr. Woods. I think I speak for everyone in Chiefs Kingdom when I say that we are all pretty jazzed to see you playing full speed, looking to lay somebody out in full pads.
