Why RB Emmett Johnson Feels Like a 'Box of Pringles' After Chiefs Select Him in Fifth Round

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Running back Emmett Johnson counted down the time from when he left high school to his first career carry at Nebraska.

And the number stands out not for the duration, but as a testament to Johnson’s character and competitive drive.

“I think the thing that excited me the most about him was his humility,” Chiefs area scout Jalen Myrick said. “This was the Minnesota High School Player of the Year and severely under recruited. Nebraska was his only FBS offer.

“Got there and immediately had to wait. He told me 475 days between high school and his first collegiate carry.”

Fast forward to the 2026 NFL Draft and Johnson finds himself as a fifth-round pick (161st overall) for the Chiefs, despite most draft analysts and prognosticators projecting him to well off the board before Kansas City selected him.

Chalk it up as another day in the life Johnson, who says he’s been overlooked and doubted a lot.

For the 5-foot-11, 200-pound rookie running back, sliding in the draft only pushes him further.

“Man, it fuels every single second of the day,” Johnson said in a Zoom teleconference with the Chiefs media corps. “I just got a chip on my shoulder; I feel like a box of Pringles at this point now.

“But it fuels me, man. I’ve had a lot of things that have fueled me in the past. I’ve been through a lot of adversity, so I feel like I’m ready for whatever.”

Others passing on Johnson worked out for Nebraska, where he appeared 41 games with 23 starts over three seasons at Nebraska, totaling 2,460 yards and 15 touchdowns on 458 carries, averaging a healthy 5.4 yards per carry. He added 92 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns.

And the Chiefs are hoping the same works out in their favor after trading up in the fifth round to get him as an addition to the backfield, which is anchored by prized free-agent signing Kenneth Walker.

“We knew Emmett was a great player and we couldn’t believe that he kind of fell to where he did,” said David Hinson, Chiefs co-director of college scouting. “So, we felt that the value to go up and get him was there. That’s why we moved up.”