CHIEFS' DRAFT: ME VS. THE KC STAR ROUND VII PLUS OTHER SCOUTING NEWS
The last round, last pick of Adam Teicher's mock draft for the Chiefs today. Mine as well. We're just 15 days out from round one on Thursday, April 28th. As the day draws closer, the rumors, many of them started as smoke screens for various teams, begin to heat up. I'll get to them later, let's get back to the Chiefs. Teicher's final Chiefs' mock draft is as follows:
1. Stefan Wisniewski-center-Penn State
2. Leonard Hankerson-wide receiver-Miami
3. Sam Acho-linebacker-Texas
4. Marcus Gilbert-offensive tackle-Florida
5. Ricky Stanzi-quarterback-Iowa
5. Ross Homan-linebacker-Ohio State
6. Bilal Powell-running back-Louisville
7. Alex Wujciak-linebacker-Maryland
I don't have any argument with Wujciak as a 7th round pick, I mean we're talking 7th round, yes there's scouting involved, but these are true longshot prospects here. Every once & a while a team will strike gold in the 7th round like K.C. did just two years ago selecting placekicker Ryan Succop as the very last player chosen in the draft. But don't get your hopes up, of the 2,046 players on NFL rosters or injured reserve at the end of the 2010 season, only 172 of them were drafted in the 7th round.
Getting back to Wujciak, he's a solidly built(6' 2" 247) tackling machine. He has decent forty speed, but he's neither quick nor agile. He has great difficulty changing directions or moving in reverse. Plays strictly between the tackles in a 3-4 defense, has difficulty getting to the sideline in a timely fashion. He reads his keys well, steps into the hole, sheds blocks pretty well, but at best, he's a 2-down player. He'll never be effective dropping into pass coverage. I have a couple of prospects who might be on a level with Wujciak.
7B. LB-Greg Lloyd-Connecticut
Yes that Greg Lloyd, son of the Pittsburgh Steeler great. Father & son no longer have a relationship, in fact the last time they were together things became so ugly dad was charged with pulling a gun on son. Lloyd was progressing nicely for Randy Edsall's Huskies until he tore two of the three tendons in his left knee near the end of the 2009 season. It was expected that Lloyd would take a medical redshirt season in 2010, but chose instead to play. The progress he'd achieved was reversed & he was a JAG(just another guy), if you will. Built like dad at 6' 1" 246, long-armed & well balanced, he couldn't close quickly nor could he get to the sideline consistently. I don't know if it was because he rushed back to play last season or the damage is irreparable. Like Wujciak, Lloyd's best chance will come as an inside backer in a 3-4 scheme. He too is basically a 2-down run-stopper with little special teams value. Like Wujciak, he hits with power & is a sure tackler inside the box.
Greg Lloyd-LB-Connecticut
7C. OT-David Mims-Virginia Union
One of the largest prospects in this draft at 6' 8" & 348-pounds. I personally have never seen this kid practice, play or workout, but this I know, the Chiefs have shown interest in this mountain of a man. They've looked at him twice in fact. Maybe he's a draftable player, maybe they could be interested after a new CBA is signed & undrafted players can be signed.
David Mims-OT-Virginia Union
7D. OG/OT-Brad Thorson-Kansas
The one & only Jayhawk with a shot to be drafted this year. Very smart & disciplined. Nothing particularly impressive about Thorson's game except he's consistent. He doesn't make mistakes or commit penalties. Broke his foot last summer but still started every game in the fall. Has played LG & RT at KU. Currently working on his master's degree in business. Will need a full season on the practice squad, spending most of his time in the weight room, he simply needs to get a lot stronger.
Brad Thorson-OT-Kansas
I spoke earlier of the rumors that are starting to make the rounds regarding some of the most highly rated prospects. I told you last week about Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers who's lingering knee injury is causing him to slide down draft boards around the league. At one time he was a top-5 prospect on virtually every team's rankings. After not working out at the Combine or Clemson's pro day, the pressure was on to provide interested NFL teams with a representative workout before the draft. It was scheduled for last Friday & to say it was disappointing is an understatement. It's unlikely Bowers will go before the 15th pick as it stands now. The word is he has totally been removed from several draft boards, rumors of possible microfracture surgery or a long term arthritic condition swirl & this kid's future hangs in the balance.
Alabama's former Heisman Trophy winner, running back Mark Ingram, is also slipping further, also from knee issues. He too has been taken off multiple draft boards by cautious teams. Personally, I think if he can be drafted lower than pick #15, he could be a major steal, much like the player Ingram's most often compared to, Cowboy Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.
Mark Ingram-RB-Alabama
With all this labor strife, the guys who will be hurt the most will be those undrafted prospects who might have been signed right after the draft. Normally each team will sign 10-20 undrafted players. They receive paltry signing bonuses, $3-10K each, but they know they're going to get a chance at making an NFL team. At the end of the 2010 season, there were 574 undrafted players on rosters around the league. The list of potential Hall of Fame players who went undrafted is legend. Priest Holmes, Antonio Gates, James Harrison, Kurt Warner etc. No CBA, no signings. Drafted players know where they'll be headed......eventually, but the rest of the undrafted rabble don't.
Many of the NFL general managers around the league love throwing up a smoke screen. They use the local press to put out information intended to mislead their peers. Yes, NFL teams will spend tens-of-thousands of dollars flying prospects in for interviews, dinners & evaluation. They will run up huge tabs flying all over the country visiting prospects on their campus' or in their home towns. much of it is intended to confuse their competitors.
So much intrigue, so much deception, so much bullsh*t.
1. Stefan Wisniewski-center-Penn State
2. Leonard Hankerson-wide receiver-Miami
3. Sam Acho-linebacker-Texas
4. Marcus Gilbert-offensive tackle-Florida
5. Ricky Stanzi-quarterback-Iowa
5. Ross Homan-linebacker-Ohio State
6. Bilal Powell-running back-Louisville
7. Alex Wujciak-linebacker-Maryland
I don't have any argument with Wujciak as a 7th round pick, I mean we're talking 7th round, yes there's scouting involved, but these are true longshot prospects here. Every once & a while a team will strike gold in the 7th round like K.C. did just two years ago selecting placekicker Ryan Succop as the very last player chosen in the draft. But don't get your hopes up, of the 2,046 players on NFL rosters or injured reserve at the end of the 2010 season, only 172 of them were drafted in the 7th round.
Getting back to Wujciak, he's a solidly built(6' 2" 247) tackling machine. He has decent forty speed, but he's neither quick nor agile. He has great difficulty changing directions or moving in reverse. Plays strictly between the tackles in a 3-4 defense, has difficulty getting to the sideline in a timely fashion. He reads his keys well, steps into the hole, sheds blocks pretty well, but at best, he's a 2-down player. He'll never be effective dropping into pass coverage. I have a couple of prospects who might be on a level with Wujciak.
7B. LB-Greg Lloyd-Connecticut
Yes that Greg Lloyd, son of the Pittsburgh Steeler great. Father & son no longer have a relationship, in fact the last time they were together things became so ugly dad was charged with pulling a gun on son. Lloyd was progressing nicely for Randy Edsall's Huskies until he tore two of the three tendons in his left knee near the end of the 2009 season. It was expected that Lloyd would take a medical redshirt season in 2010, but chose instead to play. The progress he'd achieved was reversed & he was a JAG(just another guy), if you will. Built like dad at 6' 1" 246, long-armed & well balanced, he couldn't close quickly nor could he get to the sideline consistently. I don't know if it was because he rushed back to play last season or the damage is irreparable. Like Wujciak, Lloyd's best chance will come as an inside backer in a 3-4 scheme. He too is basically a 2-down run-stopper with little special teams value. Like Wujciak, he hits with power & is a sure tackler inside the box.
Greg Lloyd-LB-Connecticut
7C. OT-David Mims-Virginia Union
One of the largest prospects in this draft at 6' 8" & 348-pounds. I personally have never seen this kid practice, play or workout, but this I know, the Chiefs have shown interest in this mountain of a man. They've looked at him twice in fact. Maybe he's a draftable player, maybe they could be interested after a new CBA is signed & undrafted players can be signed.
David Mims-OT-Virginia Union
7D. OG/OT-Brad Thorson-Kansas
The one & only Jayhawk with a shot to be drafted this year. Very smart & disciplined. Nothing particularly impressive about Thorson's game except he's consistent. He doesn't make mistakes or commit penalties. Broke his foot last summer but still started every game in the fall. Has played LG & RT at KU. Currently working on his master's degree in business. Will need a full season on the practice squad, spending most of his time in the weight room, he simply needs to get a lot stronger.
Brad Thorson-OT-Kansas
I spoke earlier of the rumors that are starting to make the rounds regarding some of the most highly rated prospects. I told you last week about Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers who's lingering knee injury is causing him to slide down draft boards around the league. At one time he was a top-5 prospect on virtually every team's rankings. After not working out at the Combine or Clemson's pro day, the pressure was on to provide interested NFL teams with a representative workout before the draft. It was scheduled for last Friday & to say it was disappointing is an understatement. It's unlikely Bowers will go before the 15th pick as it stands now. The word is he has totally been removed from several draft boards, rumors of possible microfracture surgery or a long term arthritic condition swirl & this kid's future hangs in the balance.
Alabama's former Heisman Trophy winner, running back Mark Ingram, is also slipping further, also from knee issues. He too has been taken off multiple draft boards by cautious teams. Personally, I think if he can be drafted lower than pick #15, he could be a major steal, much like the player Ingram's most often compared to, Cowboy Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.
Mark Ingram-RB-Alabama
With all this labor strife, the guys who will be hurt the most will be those undrafted prospects who might have been signed right after the draft. Normally each team will sign 10-20 undrafted players. They receive paltry signing bonuses, $3-10K each, but they know they're going to get a chance at making an NFL team. At the end of the 2010 season, there were 574 undrafted players on rosters around the league. The list of potential Hall of Fame players who went undrafted is legend. Priest Holmes, Antonio Gates, James Harrison, Kurt Warner etc. No CBA, no signings. Drafted players know where they'll be headed......eventually, but the rest of the undrafted rabble don't.
Many of the NFL general managers around the league love throwing up a smoke screen. They use the local press to put out information intended to mislead their peers. Yes, NFL teams will spend tens-of-thousands of dollars flying prospects in for interviews, dinners & evaluation. They will run up huge tabs flying all over the country visiting prospects on their campus' or in their home towns. much of it is intended to confuse their competitors.
So much intrigue, so much deception, so much bullsh*t.
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