Round 1 - DT Dontari Poe
Round 2 - OG Jeff Allen
Round 3 - OT Donald Stephenson
Round 4 - WR Devon Wylie
Round 5 - CB/S De'quan Menzie
Round 6 - RB Cyrus Gray
Round 7 - DE Jerome Long
- WR Junior Hemmingway
The Chiefs decided to sail forward into the future with Matt Cassel at the helm. To experience success on offense, they need to surround him with talent on the offensive line and skill positions. His lack of mobility, creativity, and arm strength when the play breaks down predicates this influx of talent on the offensive side of the ball.
However, before concentrating on offense, Kansas City needed to add that missing piece on their defensive line. Running a 3-4 defense, their linemen need to take on blockers and let the linebackers make plays. Already having their two young defensive ends in place, finding a nose tackle man the middle of the that line was of paramount importance. By drafting Dontari Poe, they hold in their hands a moldable piece of clay. An absolute mountain of a man, he possesses power as well as quickness. He will be able to demand a couple of blockers, which will be his main job. Though he has nearly Haloti Ngata-type upside, his rawness was heavily scrutinized before the draft, causing many to label him as a potential bust.
After playing tackle in college, Jeff Allen will move inside at the NFL level. Limited athleticism necessitates this move. Decent in both pass protection and run blocking, he looks to be a solid overall player. It appears as though he'll be taking a redshirt year to learn the position because the player who he will eventually replace, Ryan Lilja, is still playing well. During this time, he can work on his technique and add more physicality to his game.
The second offensive linemen they selected, Donald Stephenson, requires quite a bit of development. With the size and athleticism to start at tackle, his inconsistency and possible lack of work ethic made the third round his target range. While he does not stand out in any facet of the game, again, he is a project with the potential to start in the future if things work out.
An outstanding return man with the ability to play in the slot, injuries hurt his draft stock. His agility and quick acceleration lead to plenty of big plays on offense and special teams.While most white guys playing receiver are stereotyped as being slow, relying on quickness and consistent hands, Wylie possesses excellent speed. Laziness might lead me to compare him to Wes Welker, but if he can stay healthy, he shows the talent to be better than Welker. The one thing holding him back might be the inconsistent play of Cassel.
Physicality and versatility describes the way De'Quan Menzie plays. His lack of speed and fluidity dictates that he will be better suited play at free safety. Nevertheless, his size and aggressiveness work in his favor. Although he will mainly contribute as a role player and special teamer, that is an underrated aspect of the game. In addition, he played for the national champion Crimson Tide in the toughest conference in college football, the SEC, which makes the jump to the NFL less arduous.
Although Cyrus Gray can hit the hole with a little power and pop, too often he bounces his runs to the outside. When there are no apparent holes he remains patient and waits for one to open up. Sometimes he will show too much patience and run out of bounds. He lacks great agility and speed but runs smart. Gray shows the potential to play in a committee eventually.
Jerome Long, a small school prospect, can hold up against blocks, which is what you want from your 3-4 defensive end. A hardworking player, his motor resulted in his being second on the team in tackles and leading the team in solo tackles. He could add more weight to increase his effectiveness against the run. Long was a very good flier in the seventh round.
Built a little like a running back, Junior Hemmingway shows nice ability to break tackles and block defenders during run plays. He catches the ball well with his hands, rarely letting it into his body. However, his slow speed indicates that he will never be more than a fringe player.
In the early rounds they took chances with developmental players who show a lot of potential. Poe should theoretically enhance the play of that defense with his mere presence. Allen is safer but was a reach for a guard with no special abilities. In the third round, their selection of Stephenson shows that they really desire to improve that offensive line. That requires developing young players over time. The Chiefs' next three picks addressed different needs on the team. Wylie might turn into something special while the other two can be solid for their team. Overall, if these picks hit, Kansas City will have strengthened both sides of the line greatly which is crucial to team success.
The Chiefs decided to sail forward into the future with Matt Cassel at the helm. To experience success on offense, they need to surround him with talent on the offensive line and skill positions. His lack of mobility, creativity, and arm strength when the play breaks down predicates this influx of talent on the offensive side of the ball.
However, before concentrating on offense, Kansas City needed to add that missing piece on their defensive line. Running a 3-4 defense, their linemen need to take on blockers and let the linebackers make plays. Already having their two young defensive ends in place, finding a nose tackle man the middle of the that line was of paramount importance. By drafting Dontari Poe, they hold in their hands a moldable piece of clay. An absolute mountain of a man, he possesses power as well as quickness. He will be able to demand a couple of blockers, which will be his main job. Though he has nearly Haloti Ngata-type upside, his rawness was heavily scrutinized before the draft, causing many to label him as a potential bust.
After playing tackle in college, Jeff Allen will move inside at the NFL level. Limited athleticism necessitates this move. Decent in both pass protection and run blocking, he looks to be a solid overall player. It appears as though he'll be taking a redshirt year to learn the position because the player who he will eventually replace, Ryan Lilja, is still playing well. During this time, he can work on his technique and add more physicality to his game.
The second offensive linemen they selected, Donald Stephenson, requires quite a bit of development. With the size and athleticism to start at tackle, his inconsistency and possible lack of work ethic made the third round his target range. While he does not stand out in any facet of the game, again, he is a project with the potential to start in the future if things work out.
An outstanding return man with the ability to play in the slot, injuries hurt his draft stock. His agility and quick acceleration lead to plenty of big plays on offense and special teams.While most white guys playing receiver are stereotyped as being slow, relying on quickness and consistent hands, Wylie possesses excellent speed. Laziness might lead me to compare him to Wes Welker, but if he can stay healthy, he shows the talent to be better than Welker. The one thing holding him back might be the inconsistent play of Cassel.
Physicality and versatility describes the way De'Quan Menzie plays. His lack of speed and fluidity dictates that he will be better suited play at free safety. Nevertheless, his size and aggressiveness work in his favor. Although he will mainly contribute as a role player and special teamer, that is an underrated aspect of the game. In addition, he played for the national champion Crimson Tide in the toughest conference in college football, the SEC, which makes the jump to the NFL less arduous.
Although Cyrus Gray can hit the hole with a little power and pop, too often he bounces his runs to the outside. When there are no apparent holes he remains patient and waits for one to open up. Sometimes he will show too much patience and run out of bounds. He lacks great agility and speed but runs smart. Gray shows the potential to play in a committee eventually.
Jerome Long, a small school prospect, can hold up against blocks, which is what you want from your 3-4 defensive end. A hardworking player, his motor resulted in his being second on the team in tackles and leading the team in solo tackles. He could add more weight to increase his effectiveness against the run. Long was a very good flier in the seventh round.
Built a little like a running back, Junior Hemmingway shows nice ability to break tackles and block defenders during run plays. He catches the ball well with his hands, rarely letting it into his body. However, his slow speed indicates that he will never be more than a fringe player.
In the early rounds they took chances with developmental players who show a lot of potential. Poe should theoretically enhance the play of that defense with his mere presence. Allen is safer but was a reach for a guard with no special abilities. In the third round, their selection of Stephenson shows that they really desire to improve that offensive line. That requires developing young players over time. The Chiefs' next three picks addressed different needs on the team. Wylie might turn into something special while the other two can be solid for their team. Overall, if these picks hit, Kansas City will have strengthened both sides of the line greatly which is crucial to team success.
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