KCSN Weekly: Draft Class In, Royals Find Life, and Jayhawks Haul in No. 1
A weekly look at everything happening across Kansas City sports.
Happy Friday, KCSN subscribers.
The NFL Draft wrapped, the Chiefs reshaped their roster, the Royals finally showed some life, and Kansas basketball landed a program-changing piece.
Here’s where things stand.
Chiefs Check-in: New Faces, New Upside, New Depth
The Kansas City Chiefs officially turned the page on the offseason with the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, and a class that looks a lot different from what many expected at the start of the weekend.
Draft Class Breakdown:
Round 1: Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU), Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
Round 2: R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
Round 4: Jadon Canady (DB, Oregon)
Round 5: Emmett Johnson (RB, Nebraska), Cyrus Allen (WR, Cincinnati)
Round 7: Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU)
It may not have followed the script fans expected, but the logic became clearer as the weekend unfolded.
Delane and Canady help stabilize a reworked secondary, while Woods and Thomas inject much-needed talent and depth into the defensive front. Kansas City waited until Day 3 to address the offense, but adding Johnson to a backfield that now includes Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III should give the offense a more dynamic element moving forward, which was lacking in the worst way in 2025.
Allen profiles as a developmental slot option, and Nussmeier is a classic (for most teams) late-round swing at the quarterback position and someone who could compete for a roster spot, though the Chiefs traditionally carry just two. With Fields and Mahomes, Nussmeier has some pre-season trust to earn from Andy Reid to carry a third. He will have an offseason without Mahomes to prove it, though.
And the work did not stop at the conclusion of the draft. Brett Veach followed up the draft with a strong UDFA group, with the highlights including:
John Michael Gyllenborg (TE, Wyoming/Rockhurst)
Jeff Caldwell (WR, Cincinnati)
Xavier Nwankpa (S, Iowa)
Vincent Anthony (DE, Duke)
DeShone Singleton (S, Nebraska)
Jadyn Ott (RB, Oklahoma)
Rookie minicamp begins today, where drafted players, UDFAs, and invitees will get their first shot to make an impression.
After a season where injuries exposed a lack of depth, it’s clear the Chiefs made it a priority to get deeper and more versatile across the board.
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Royals Report: The Stars Get KC Back on Track
After three difficult weeks, the Kansas City Royals finally showed signs of life.
Kansas City went 4–2, sweeping the Los Angeles Angels before dropping two of three to the Oakland Athletics.
The highlight came Sunday, when Lane Thomas launched a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to cap an 11–9 win and complete the sweep. It was his first homer of the season and part of a strong week in which he hit .385.
Overall, the offense finally showed up.
Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. led the charge, combining for 15 hits, four home runs, and 10 RBIs.
On the mound, Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic set the tone, each allowing just one run in their starts. Ragans, in particular, was dominant, striking out 11 batters over six innings.
It’s still early, but this is the kind of week that can stabilize things if it continues. As rough as 12-19 is, they’re only 3.5 games back of the 16-16 Cleveland Guardians.
KCSNU
Kansas Lands a Headliner
Big news came out of Lawrence, KS this week when the Jayhawks landed the No. 1 overall recruit in the country, Tyran Stokes.
Stokes, a 6-foot-7 wing with elite athleticism and playmaking ability, chose Kansas over Kentucky and Oregon. It is a major win for Bill Self and his staff.
He joins an already strong 2026 class that includes Taylen Kinney (No. 13) and Davion Adkins (No. 70), according to 247Sports.
Expectations were high, and they just got higher for the Jayhawks.
What to Watch This Week
Chiefs
Rookie minicamp begins this weekend.
Follow KCSN’s X account for updates and early impressions from the rookie class.
Royals
Three-game road series vs. the Seattle Mariners (16–16) with Cole Ragans (5.00 ERA) taking the bump against Bryan Woo (3.86 ERA) tonight.
Four-game home series vs. the Cleveland Guardians (16–16).
The Chiefs have their draft class. The Royals have a pulse again. And Kansas just added a potential star.
Let’s check back in next week to see what this week brings.