Chiefs Snag 21-Year-Old Defensive End Out of Oklahoma in Second Round of 2026 NFL Draft

From one red and white to another red and white. Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas will be suiting up for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026, as he was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This move continues the strong defensive trend for Kansas City so far, as they traded up to select defensive back Mansoor Delane from LSU with the sixth overall pick and used the 29th pick on Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods. The Chiefs did have a stout defense in 2025, finishing top 10 against both the pass and run, as well as allowing the sixth fewest points. However, the team lost many veterans in the offseason, such as defensive backs Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, and Bryan Cook, as well as linebacker Leo Chenal. These new prospects will look to fill their shoes as Kansas City is forced to look deep into the future. 

Back to Thomas, he grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was a four-star prospect from Cardinal Gibbons High School in the class of 2022. He originally committed to Iowa State University, but eventually chose to play for another Big 12 school, the University of Oklahoma. Ironically, he did ascend into a high-caliber pass rusher until his junior year, when Oklahoma moved to the SEC. In 2024, he amassed nine sacks and earned Second-team All-SEC honors, and moved up to First-Team All-SEC as a senior in 2025 with 6.5 sacks. His play last year helped elevate Oklahoma to being one of the best defenses in the country, finishing eighth among all Division I FBS schools in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed. This defense resulted in the Sooners’ first College Football Playoff appearance since 2019. The Chiefs hope he can bring this same level of impact to their team next season.

Thomas and his fellow draft pick, Woods, will join former All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones on the Chiefs' front four. Despite the defense’s success as a whole last year, the unit finished tied for just 22nd in sacks at just 35. Thomas and Woods will look to change that and make a big splash for the struggling dynasty. They could be the keys to Kansas City’s effort to return to the top of the NFL mountain in 2026.