Update: Chris Johnson’s agent says he does not currently have a top-30 visit scheduled with the Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to get a closer look at some of the best prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

As first reported by analyst Ryan Fowler, the Chiefs are set to host San Diego State CB Chris Johnson on a pre-draft top-30 visit. This is the second reported pre-draft visit for Kansas City, and the first with a player in the secondary since the mass exodus of Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Bryan Cook, and Joshua Williams during free agency.

The top ballhawking cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft, Johnson finished the 2025 college football season with four interceptions, the most interception return yards in the Mountain West (146), and the most interceptions returned for touchdowns in both the Mountain West & the FBS. In 2025, he allowed just a 41.9% completion rate in his coverage. The 21-year-old is quite tough for his 6-foot-1, 193-pound frame, and he knows how to make tackles, with a 4.8% career missed tackle rate. The biggest question here is fit, as he’s played best in a scheme that plays a lot of off-man coverage.

Johnson was a big winner at the Senior Bowl, showcasing quick feet, fluid hips, and good instincts in one-on-one coverage drills. He impressed just as much at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indy, boasting impressive marks in the A to Z Sports Athletic Composite.

As far as comparisons go, Johnson’s overall profile compares favorably to Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, but some other names that pop up for him include Patrick Peterson (Burst Score) and Marshon Lattimore (BMI). His 86.9 Athletic Composite actually matches that of former Chiefs CB Phillip Gaines, who the team took in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

How do the Chiefs typically use top-30 visits?

The “top 30” label is a bit of a misnomer. It refers to 30 allotted pre-draft visits with prospects in the upcoming NFL draft. The Chiefs and 31 other clubs invite prospects to their facilities for meetings with staff, medical evaluations, and general assessments of whether a player will be a fit with the team culture.

Kansas City is pretty particular with the players they bring in for these visits. They reserve several visits for players with medical questions and a need for further evaluation by the club. They reserve others for prospects with character concerns and questions. It has also become increasingly apparent over the years that they use some of these visits on players who weren’t invited to the combine and outperform expectations during their pro day workouts.

Some players the Chiefs have selected in the past who have had top 30 visits include LT Josh Simmons, DT Omarr Norman-Lott, LG Kingsley Suamataia, WR Rashee Rice, DE BJ Thompson, CB Jaylen Watson, CB Joshua Williams, LB Nick Bolton, and S Juan Thornhill. They’ve also added undrafted free agents from the visits, as they did last season with OT Esa Pole, CB Melvin Smith, and LB Brandon George.

Why San Diego State CB Chris Johnson could quickly emerge as a favorite for the Chiefs

The Chiefs obviously has some needs at the cornerback position after seeing both their top cornerbacks leave to join the same team, one via trade and the other via free agency. They’ve got Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams penciled in as outside corners, but Johnson could help reinforce the depth behind those two players. Fulton, of course, dealt with injuries in 2025 and only has one year remaining on his deal.

Johnson is projected as a late Round 1 and early Round 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chiefs just so happen to hold picks No. 29 (via the Rams) and No. 40, both picks within the projected range for Johnson. Even a trade down from pick No. 29 could be on the table to snag Johnson.

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