Chiefs exec Ryne Nutt breaks down decision to draft RB Emmett Johnson

TL;DR

The Kansas City Chiefs selected running back Emmett Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Vice President Ryne Nutt praised Johnson's skills and expressed surprise at his draft position.

Key points

Chiefs selected Emmett Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft
Ryne Nutt praised Johnson's skills and potential
Johnson ran a 4.56 at the combine and a 4.49 on pro day

Kansas City ChiefsEmmett Johnson2026 NFL DraftNebraska Cornhuskers

The Kansas City Chiefs came away from the 2026 NFL Draft with several valuable prospects, but perhaps the most exciting is former Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson, who was one of the team's two fifth-round selections.

This week, Chiefs Vice President of Player Personnel Ryne Nutt broke down Kansas City's decision to select Johnson with the No. 161 pick during an extended press conference with local media.

“It's funny about Emmett (Johnson)," Nutt explained, "because in December we all come together and we watch usually defensive backs and (General Manager) Brett (Veach) will pick one or two other positions and he picked running backs this year to kind of watch and we went through the running backs and Emmett was one of the top guys we watched. We love him. Brett was super high on this kid. We are all really high on this kid. He's a juke button, right? He's got very good feet, vision, feel, and he's very good out of the backfield.

"I think the combine 40 I think he ran like a 4.56 or something that might have scared people away but then he ran a 4.49 on his pro day so – and then he ran 4.49 like a 4.50 something like that so he showed on two reps that he can match the same speed. I don't know why he fell, we were shocked he fell and that's why we took him honestly in the fifth-round and that is why Brett decided to trade up to get him because of the conviction we had in the talent and because we knew that was probably lower than he should have went, but we're happy to have the kid for sure.”

Could Johnson become Kansas City's next great spellback behind reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Chiefs in free agency?

Stay tuned to find out if Johnson will prove to be the jewel of Kansas City's 2026 NFL Draft class.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: NFL Draft: Chiefs exec breaks down decision to pick RB Emmett Johnson

Q&A

Why did the Chiefs draft Emmett Johnson in the fifth round?

The Chiefs drafted Emmett Johnson because they were impressed by his skills, including his speed and agility, and believed he was undervalued in the draft.

What were Emmett Johnson's combine and pro day 40-yard dash times?

Emmett Johnson ran a 4.56 at the combine and improved to a 4.49 on his pro day.

Who is Ryne Nutt and what did he say about Emmett Johnson?

Ryne Nutt is the Vice President of Player Personnel for the Chiefs, and he expressed high regard for Johnson's talent and potential during a press conference.