Chiefs’ rookies Mansoor Delane, Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, and Jadon Canady impress vets during Week 1 of OTAs

Drue Tranquill and George Karlaftis are excited about the defensive additions the Kansas City Chiefs made during the 2026 NFL Draft. The pair shared their first impressions of Mansoor Delane, Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, and Jadon Canady after Week 1 of OTAs.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor

May 29, 2026 3:14 PM EDT

Kansas City Chiefs veterans and rookies got their first week of offseason practice together at OTAs this past week. It wasn’t just an opportunity for the rookies to see how the veterans work, but it was also an opportunity for the veterans to see what the rookies are all about.

There was already a lot of excitement in the building among veterans for the defense-heavy 2026 NFL Draft class. While Drue Tranquill admits there’s still plenty of work to be done, he sees the vision after just a week of practice. That vision? To reload the defense with smart and talented players who are hungry for success.

“It’s super exciting,” Tranquill said. “They’re talented players. Obviously, there’s a lot of work to do and put in. Certainly, losing some of our guys this offseason, you talk about (Bills OLB) Mike Danna, J Wat (Rams CB Jaylen Watson), (Rams CB) Trent (McDuffie) – some of our defensive tackles. It was nice on draft day to see that we were reloading a little bit on the defensive side and getting those guys in there. Those guys are hungry, high-energy guys, they did a lot of studying, obviously, on them. You can see why they brought them here in the first few days.”

Drue Tranquill, George Karlaftis share first impressions of Chiefs’ 2026 defensive draft picks

George Karlaftis and Drue Tranquill each spoke at length about the 2026 NFL Draft class on Thursday. Karlaftis is entering his fifth season in Kansas City, while Tranquill enters his fourth. These two defensive veterans know exactly what Steve Spagnuolo is looking for and how players can succeed in his scheme. For Karlaftis, it all starts with work ethic and a willingness to learn.

“Those guys (R Mason Thomas and Peter Woods) are great,” Karlaftis told reporters. “They’re working hard (and) you can tell they love football. Right now, they’re being like sponges; they’re being coached hard. Not just the two of them, really all the rookies, they’ve been great. They have some juice and all that stuff, so they’re awesome additions, and they have some bright futures.”

Tranquill also felt the early difference in the trenches, even without padded practices. After a down year controlling the line of scrimmage, they’re hopeful that players like Woods and Thomas can give them a new edge.

“I mean, you can see it along the line of scrimmage,” Tranquill said. “For me, it always starts in the trenches and the addition of Peter Woods and just seeing his tenacity, his get-off and what he brings. R Mason Thomas and what he’s bringing on the edge and his ability to dip and lean and get off the ball. We were messing around in the meetings today, and (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) was like, ‘I want to see George (Karlaftis) and R Mason lining up in a get-off drill.’ I think he’s (R Mason Thomas) got great get-off.”

Woods and Thomas are naturally helping their teammates in the secondary, forcing inaccurate throws from quarterbacks. Delane and Canady both generated pass breakups across 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills on Thursday, making their presence felt in the defensive secondary. It left Tranquill hopeful that they’ll be able to make contributions throughout the 2026 NFL season.

“You talk about Soor (Mansoor Delane) on the outside, (he) had some great reps yesterday in practice where he’s just locking down (and) getting his hands on the ball,” Tranquill said. “I think he had an interception as well. A lot of young guys making plays. JC (Jadon Canady) in the slot, and so these guys, we’re going to need them down the stretch. It’s a long season, and they’ve got a long way to go, but I love their energy early on.”