The Kansas City Chiefs' secondary is generating serious buzz as we look ahead to the 2026 NFL season, and one name is rising fast: cornerback Nohl Williams. Pro Football Focus has just named Williams to their prestigious "All-Breakout Team," predicting he'll be a household name before long.
Williams might have been a well-kept secret in 2025, but the secret is out. Despite the Chiefs already boasting two standout corners in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, Williams earned his snaps—and made them count. Over 458 total snaps, he posted an impressive 74.5 overall PFF grade and a 75.6 coverage mark, ranking 15th among all corners with at least 250 coverage snaps. Even more eye-opening: Williams landed in the 93rd percentile for single coverage grade and the 89th percentile as an outside corner. Those are elite numbers for any player, let alone a rookie.
The Chiefs also added Mansoor Delane with their top draft pick, a player expected to lock down one perimeter spot in Steve Spagnuolo's defense. But don't sleep on the Cal product Williams. He has the traits to not only seize that starting role but to become a breakout star on a bigger stage.
And the Chiefs' rebuilt secondary won't have time to ease into things. The NFL is throwing them into the fire right away with a Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos and their loaded wide receiver corps. Denver's projected top three receivers combined for 203 receptions, over 2,600 yards, and 19 touchdowns last season—arguably the best receiving group in the AFC West and one of the best in the league.
On paper, the Chiefs' secondary is unproven but bursting with promise. Outside of the occasional penalty, Williams was one of the best rookie cornerbacks in football in 2025. And he's not alone. Two 2026 NFL Draft picks, Mansoor Delane and Jadon Canady, were lockdown defenders in college—the only two defensive backs in the nation to allow seven or fewer first downs all season. Delane, in particular, was a shutdown artist, allowing just 13 receptions for 147 yards, zero touchdowns, and only six first downs across the regular season and LSU's bowl game combined. He was targeted less than 10% of the time he was in coverage.
With a mix of emerging talent and proven grit, the Chiefs' secondary is shaping up to be a unit worth watching—and Williams is leading the charge.