What to know about Chiefs’ pick at 161: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 28: Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) rushes in the second quarter between Iowa Hawkeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 28, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE. (Photo by Nathanial George/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs have made their fifth selection of the 2026 NFL Draft at pick 161, and the offense finally got a turn.

Round 5 – Pick 161: Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

Johnson was ranked the 102nd prospect and the fifth-ranked corner by Arrowhead Pride’s consensus rankings.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler saw Johnson as the fourth-ranked running back in this class and graded him as a third-to-fourth round pick in his draft guide, “The Beast.”

The 22-year-old Johnson measured in at 5 feet 10 inches tall and 205 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine and posted the following numbers:

• 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
• Vertical leap: 35 1/2 inches
• Broad jump: 10 feet

Johnson comes to Kansas City after four years at the University of Nebraska, but it was the 2025 season that put him on the map as a future NFL draft pick. Johnson with 1,451 yards, plus 370 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry over a conference-leading 251 rushing attempts. It all culminated in First Team All-American honors.