The Kansas City Chiefs have certainly prioritized the running back position in 2026, and they continued that trend in the latest post-NFL draft news, signing Virginia Tech UDFA Terion Stewart.
The official Virginia Tech Football account revealed this Chiefs news on the evening of April 25, not long after the conclusion of the NFL draft.
The Chiefs already drafted Nebraska ball-carrier Emmett Johnson in round five and agreed to terms with undrafted free agent RBs Jaydn Ott and E.J. Smith, but Stewart might be the most interesting backfield addition of all.
Per fantasy football expert and podcaster Scott Barrett, “projected UDFA RB Terion Stewart narrowly edges out Ashton Jeanty and Bijan Robinson as the most elusive RB in PFF College history.”
Barrett included a graphic in his post, which shows Stewart as the only CFB running back with a missed tackles forced per attempt over 0.4, not to mention an average yards after contact over 4.5 yards.
Jeanty ranked a little higher in the latter statistic, but was under 0.4 missed tackles forced per attempt. Robinson was lower in both categories.
Even more impressive, positioned against his 2026 classmates, Stewart had a No. 1-ranked “elusive rating” of 220.7 on Pro Football Focus (minimum 20% rushing attempts). The No. 3 overall pick in the entire draft, new Arizona Cardinals playmaker Jeremiyah Love, held the top drafted elusive rating this year at 127.5, nearly a full 100 points lower than Stewart.
So, why was the “most elusive RB” in college football history, according to Pro Football Focus, not even a seventh-round selection? The main reason was likely Stewart’s size.
New Chiefs UDFA Signing Terion Stewart Was Measured at Just Under 5-Foot-6 Despite Rare Elusiveness & Ability
GettyNew Kansas City Chiefs running back Terion Stewart’s (#8) height may have prevented him from being selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
According to The Athletic’s scouting expert Dane Brugler, Stewart was measured at just 5-foot-5 and 7/8. That puts him just shy of 5-foot-6, and it’s hard to make it at the NFL level at that height.
Stewart’s weight was listed at 219 pounds, so he’s short but stout, and that shows up on film.
When you watch Stewart play, he often uses his low center of gravity to bounce off and elude tacklers. In some ways, his game is reminiscent of former NFL star Maurice Jones-Drew, but even the famous “MJD” was 5-foot-7.
Stewart’s below-average 40-yard dash time of 4.56 seconds doesn’t help his case. Although, to be fair, Johnson ran the same 40-time at the NFL Combine and the Chiefs took him in round five.
For a player like Stewart — who was ranked just behind fellow KC UDFA E.J. Smith at 46th overall for this running back class — everything must be earned.
The Chiefs will provide him with that opportunity, granting him a spot on the 90-man roster for camp. If he’s able to flash some of that college elusiveness at the NFL level, perhaps Stewart can carve out a role either on the practice squad or within the RB room.
Chiefs UDFA News Continues 2026 RB Emphasis
As noted above, the Chiefs have already signed three UDFA running backs after the 2026 NFL Draft.
Coupled with the Johnson selection, that means four new rookies in the RB room.
Of course, the rookies won’t be the only new faces at the position. Kansas City signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker and veteran change-of-pace back Emari Demercado in NFL free agency.
They also parted ways with RBs Isiah Pacheco, Carson Steele, Dameon Pierce, Elijah Mitchell, and — most likely — veteran free agent Kareem Hunt.
The demolition of the position group leaves just one lone holdover, 2025 seventh-round pick Brashard Smith. If Smith fails to make the 53-man roster out of training camp, the Chiefs will have completely remade their running back room this offseason, and that’s not something you see very often at any position.
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