The streak is finally over as the Kansas City Chiefs put the defense on the bench and drafted their first offensive player in this draft. Well, the wait was worth it with the addition of Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson.
The Kansas City Chiefs finally gave Patrick Mahomes a new weapon. No, it wasn’t a wide receiver. Instead, it was a playmaking running back to pair with free-agent signee Kenneth Walker III.
The Big Ten and Nebraska standout rushed for 1451 yards last season and caught 46 passes, scoring 15 touchdowns for the Cornhuskers. He led the FBS in scrimmage yards with 150 per game.
During their work at the NFL Combine, the Chiefs scouted the running backs, and given the proximity to Lincoln, they heavily scouted Johnson. Kansas City moved up in the fifth round by swapping picks with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the trade, Kansas City moved up to Pick #161 and received Pick #249 in exchange for the Chiefs’ Pick #169 and Pick #210 in the seventh round. Kansas City still retains its second pick in the fifth round, so it’ll get a chance to add another quality player.
With the addition of Johnson, it’s very unlikely the Chiefs will retain Kareem Hunt. Further, this could signal that last year’s 7th-round pick, Running Back Brashard Smith, could take over punt and kickoff duties.
Kansas City signed Arizona Cardinals free-agent running back Emari Demercado, which could mean the Chiefs might carry four running backs for the first time in several years.
It’s clear that Johnson could be an NFL starter, and his production in the Big Ten is a testament to his amazing talent running and receiving out of the backfield. He immediately becomes Walker’s backup, and he should have no problem adjusting to the speed of the NFL.
When Eric Bieniemy returned, he made it clear that the running game would be more prominent in the offense this season. The addition of Johnson further underscored that. Make no mistake about it, he’s a playmaker, and the Chiefs view him the same way.
