How does Mansoor Delane compare to former Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie? Kansas City went after the newer and faster model
How does new Kansas City Chiefs CB Mansoor Delane compare to Trent McDuffie? It’s apparent that Brett Veach and Steve Spagnuolo saw a newer, taller, faster, and cheaper model in the LSU product.
There are many similarities between the Kansas City Chiefs’ moves in the 2026 NFL Draft and their moves in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs traded up for LSU CB Mansoor Delane in 2026, just as they did for Washington CB Trent McDuffie in 2022, albeit much earlier in the draft. They stood their ground with their second pick in Round 1, taking Clemson DT Peter Woods at No. 29. In 2022, it was Purdue DE George Karlaftis, both defensive linemen.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach didn’t even realize the striking similarities in the position of the players they targeted until it was pointed out to him.
“I didn’t even think about that,” Veach said. “But like in ‘22, I did think of the trade, right? So, we moved a three (third-round pick) and a four (fourth-round pick) to get (Rams CB) McDuffie, moved a three (third-round pick) and a five (fifth-round pick) here to get (Mansoor) Delane. Out of George (Karlaftis). And now we add another interior defensive lineman. But, I mean, those guys were impact players right out of the gate. And we expect these guys to be impact players right out of the gate.”
What has become increasingly apparent is that the Chiefs targeted Delane for his similarities to McDuffie. Not just the playstyle and versatility similarities, but the physical ones as well.
Did you know: Chiefs CB Mansoor Delane has a wrestling background?
- Delane was a two-sport athlete who played football and wrestled at Archbishop Spalding High School in Maryland.
- Andy Reid on Delane’s wrestling background: “He was a wrestler. He was a wrestler growing up. Dad threw him in when he was a kid, and he wrestled all his way through. So, he’s kind of got that – he kind of knows how to get down there and get dirty. I thought he did that – (he) does that well, takes good angles, which you don’t learn in wrestling, but you do by playing. He does a nice job with that.”
LSU CB Mansoor Delane looks a whole lot like Trent McDuffie from an athletic standpoint
Asked about how Delane compares to McDuffie, Chiefs HC Andy Reid made it clear they’re similar players in terms of traits. Just how similar are they, though?
“So, (Trent McDuffie) is a little bit bigger,” Reid said. “Mansoor’s (Delane) a little bit taller, but both of them are physical guys. (Trent) McDuffie proved that he can do it at this level. This kid’s coming in (and) he’s got to do that part, but their traits in college look similar. The quick feet, the plant and drive, eliminating excess steps, being able to play man coverage, getting up on you, pressing you, and ball skills. So, I guess, yes.”
Taking a gander at the A to Z Sports NFL Combine Prospect Comparison tool, it’s very apparent that the Chiefs saw this physical comparison in their evaluation. Delane is a slighter, but taller and faster version of McDuffie. They both have a similar length, too.
Delane, of course, didn’t test at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. He did run the 40-yard dash at the LSU Pro Day. Reported times ranged from 4.35s to 4.38s on the 40-yard dash. Plugging those numbers into our database would’ve resulted in a 93.6 percentile 40-yard dash, a 78.5 percentile speed score, and an 80.5 A to Z Sports Athletic Composite.
Mansoor Delane is also the cheaper model
There’s a contractual element worth comparing here, too.
At the No. 6 slot in Round 1, Delane is projected to receive a $42M contract based on the rookie scale. McDuffie signed a four-year, $124 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams following his trade. The total cash commitment in 2026 is actually higher for Delane ($27.7M) in Kansas City than for McDuffie ($22M). However, over the next four years, Delane will be much more affordable for the Chiefs against the salary cap. That will certainly come into play as more contracts come due.