Emmett Johnson grew up catching 200 footballs a day from his older brother with dreams of one day playing in the NFL. The Nebraska running back saw that dream come true on Saturday.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Johnson with the 161st overall pick and in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Once I saw Kansas City my heart kind of dropped, and I was kind of just thinking like Super Bowl,” Johnson told Hail Varsity. “That’s all I was thinking. Once I saw that I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s about to be a show.’ And then (General Manager) Brett Veach answered, and he was kind of just talking to me, telling me how excited he was to have me there and how they traded up for me. Then, when I started talking to Coach (Andy) Reid, it was just kind of like dang, that’s when it really hit me.”
The call of a lifetime 🥹@Chiefs @NFL
#ProBigRed pic.twitter.com/zhZpx4RWkn— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) April 25, 2026
The Chiefs traded the Pittsburgh Steelers picks 169 and 210 to move up and draft Johnson. He was the team’s first offensive selection in this year’s draft.
“It was an honor being the first offensive guy they chose too, which kind of means that they’re strategic about who they choose,” Johnson said. “They really believe in all of their picks, so that meant a lot to me to be just the first offensive guy to be selected, and just going to that organization and program. That’s proving that I’m playing with Super Bowl MVPs, I’m playing with a Super Bowl MVP running back and quarterback. So it’s just going to be a good environment for me to kind of go in there and just compete with people at a high level, and also just help the team win.”
Many experts had Johnson as one of the top backs in this year’s class. Few expected him to be available in the fifth round.
On Friday, Johnson tweeted, “I love it” after not hearing his name called during the first two days and three rounds of the draft. He said that he wrote a list of all the players drafted before him.
I love it 💯
— Emoney 💰 (@Emmett10Johnson) April 25, 2026
“I’ve been passed my whole life, and I felt like I should have went earlier,” Johnson said. “I know I should have went earlier, but it was all good though. It was God’s timing. I just said ‘I love it,’ just because it’s been like this my whole life, and I love being doubted and passed on. So once I tweeted that, it was kind of just like me saying I love all the teams that passed on me, like I love it.”
The running back was one of college football’s stars in his final year with the Big Red. The Minneapolis, Minn., native earned Big Ten Running Back of the Year honors and became the Huskers’ first All-American since Lavonte David in 2011.
As a junior, Johnson started all 12 regular season games. The tail back rushed for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns on 251 carries. He also contributed through the air with 64 receptions for 370 yards and three more scores. Johnson led Nebraska in carries, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and receptions. He totaled the Huskers’ most yards from scrimmage and all-purpose yards with 1,821.
In his sophomore campaign, Johnson played in all 13 games with five starts. He led the Huskers in all-purpose yards with 908 and finished second on the team in carries (117) and rushing yards (598). The tailback also recorded 39 receptions for 286 yards and two touchdowns.
As a redshirt freshman, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound back played in 12 games with six starts. He recorded 90 carries for 411 yards and two touchdowns plus seven receptions for 46 yards.
Johnson credits his Nebraska coaches for helping him succeed. He invited head coach Matt Rhule and running backs coach EJ Barthel to his draft party.
“I just wanted them to be there because I always remember the people that were there for me, and them over the years,” Johnson said. “Coach EJ’s pushed me throughout the years to be a better version of myself and running back. Coach Rhule’s helped in terms of developing and also just being a great coach for the program and helping us build our brands and do different things of that nature. So it just meant a lot for them to be there.”
Johnson said he’s believed he could play professionally since he was 8 or 9 years old. He said he use to talk about it with his brother, Charles Johnson.
“I knew I had something special, and I knew that I put myself in that position to be drafted,” Johnson said. “So, when I was young, I always thought NFL. That was always my goal …
“I’ve always had family members who have kind of just motivated me to get to that point, so I’ve always strived for more. I’ve always wanted to do the extra things that it took to play in the NFL. Now, it’s finally here.”
The tailback is joining a Chiefs offense that includes quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and running back Kenneth Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP who signed with the Chiefs after winning a championship with the Seattle Seahawks. Johnson said that some of his new teammates have already reached out including, Mahomes and Kelce.
“It’s credit to how they do things there at Kansas City,” Johnson said. “I feel like it’s a big brotherhood. That’s what Nebraska was too, which is huge. Hearing from them, it meant a lot to me. It was really welcoming, but I told them, I said ‘I’m excited to be here, but I’m ready to get to work.’”
Johnson said he’s looking forward to learning from Walker, though he’s not approaching the room like a backup.
“I definitely will be able to learn from him, and kind of just see how the flow and tempo is at the next level,” Johnson said. “I’m going to do my best to come in there and just compete with him to not just learn, but compete. I’m a competitor, so I want to just come in and compete at a high level. I feel like that’s just going to get the best out of me, and the best out of him, so that’s definitely what I’m going to do.”
Johnson will also learn from Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He said that he met with Bieniemy at the NFL Combine where he answered numerous questions from the coordinator.
“He’s somebody who’s going to push me, and that’s what I love as a coach or as a coordinator,” Johnson said. “I know he’s going to be able to use different skill sets. There are a lot of different skill sets on the offense, but he’s going to be able to kind of develop me into a great player, and also just get the most out of me every single day.”
Johnson said he’ll use his late round selection as inspiration when he arrives in Kansas City.
“I’m going to wake up every single day, be in the building early, be the last one to leave,” Johnson said. “Those are things that I’m going to do just because of the competitor that I am. I’m trying to be the best to ever play. I have high goals for myself, so I’m super motivated.”
Kansas City begins its rookie mini camp Friday through Sunday.
“It’s a legendary offense, legendary program,” Johnson said. “I just have no doubt we’re going to win the Super Bowl this year.”
