Emmett Johnson waited longer to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft than anyone thought he would. There simply wasn’t demand for running backs in this draft for one reason or another. Finally, in the fifth round, the former Nebraska football star was taken with the 21st pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. Suddenly, a player who was sitting around for far too long found himself in a spot that could be perfect.
The Chiefs have talked quite a bit about their plans for Johnson since they selected him, and it sounds like they truly believe he could have a big impact, even if the team already traded for another starting running back before the draft. Johnson, in turn, said all the right things leading up to rookie camps and now leading up to the start of training camp.
One way in which the former Nebraska star has shown he’s ready to make a real impact in the NFL is the shape he got himself into over the offseason. Earlier this month, Johnson took to Instagram to share a series of pictures showcasing his impressive offseason physique, giving Kansas City fans an inside look at what to expect when he takes the field for his pro debut in September.
In addition to the photos showing a rather built running back, he included a motto that he’s taking with him to keep a chip on his shoulder. “How can I lose when I ain’t start with nothing?”
Emmett Johnson brings NFL Draft chip into Kansas City Chiefs training camp
Johnson has talked often about how he wants to prove that he belongs after slipping a weird amount ni the draft. Part of the reason for that drop was that his 2025 season came out of nowhere after showing promise, but with no sign that he would explode the way he did in his final year with Nebraska.
He racked up one accolade after another in 2025. He was named a First-Team All-American (On3, CBSSports.com, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News), Second-Team All-American (Walter Camp, The Athletic), and a Maxwell Award Semifinalist.
He was also named a Doak Walker Award Semifinalist and the Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and was then the First-Team All-Big Ten.
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.
While he exploded in his final season with Nebraska, he also showed the kind of talent that should be able to carry over. He’s also in a very good spot with the Kansas City Chiefs because they are still trying to find a winning formula at running back. Emmett Johnson looks prepped and ready to show he can get the job done.
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