Johnson Selected by Kansas City Chiefs

Emmett Johnson became Nebraska’s first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday when he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round as the No. 161 overall pick.

Johnson also continues a tradition of Nebraska running back success in the Draft. He is the 41st Husker running back selected in the Draft’s Common Era (since 1967), tying for the second-most of any school in the country.  Johnson is the first Husker running back taken in the Draft since fullback Andy Janovich was taken in the sixth round in 2016. 

Johnson had a standout career for the Huskers, capped by an All-America season in 2025. Johnson was named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year, and he was named a first-team All-America running back by Sports

Illustrated and a first-team All-American all-purpose player by On3, CBSSports.com and the Sporting News, while the Athletic named him a second-team All-America running back. The Minneapolis native was also one of 13 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, presented to the nation's best running back.

Johnson rushed for 1,451 yards on 251 carries with 12 touchdowns, posting the first 1,000-yard rushing season by a Husker since 2018 and the highest rushing total by a Nebraska player since Doak Walker Award finalist Ameer Abdullah had 1,611 rushing yards in 2014. As a receiver, Johnson led Nebraska with 46 receptions and totaled 370 receiving yards and three touchdowns. His 46 receptions were the second-highest season total by a running back in Husker history.

In 2025, Johnson led the nation scrimmage yards per game (151.8) and all-purpose yards per game (151.8), ranked second in total yards from scrimmage (1,821) and receptions by a running back (46), fourth in rushing yards (1,451) and rushing yards per game (120.9), sixth in carries (251), 11th in receiving yards by a running back (370) and 17th in total touchdowns (15). Johnson also led the nation by accounting for 40.7 percent of his team's total yards during the regular season.   Johnson returns to a familiar spot, as he opened the 2005 season in Kansas City, helping the Huskers to a 20-17 win over Cincinnati. In that game, he rushed for 108 yards on 25 carries while catching a team-high seven passes.

Johnson finished his Husker career with 2,460 rushing yards and 702 receiving yards on 92 career receptions.