LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CHIEFS' DRAFT
Now that I've listened to every Q & A with the newest Chiefs as well as general manager Scott Pioli's press conference Saturday evening, I've come to a few conclusions. First off, each player addressed every reporter's question with "Sir" & each took an opportunity to thank the Hunt family. Each one of them said all they want to do is "go to work." Agents give these kids talking points just like a politician, "tell 'em what they want to hear. After listening to each young man dodge the tough questions & continue heaping praise on the Kansas City organization, I learned very little. Pioli was more forthcoming than I'd ever heard. He didn't want to talk about the resumption of the lockout, in fact when Adam Teicher of The Kansas City Star pressed him on the subject, Pioli made it clear "if you want to talk about the draft, I'll stay, otherwise I'm going home & tuck my daughter in at bedtime, something I haven't done in quite a while." He discussed how extensively the team investigated the two players with "character issues" & he made it clear, he believed both guys(#1 pick Jon Baldwin & #3 pick OLB Justin Houston) got the message. In fact Houston said during his Q & A, Todd Haley told him "do you remember the talk we had when you were here? I trust you will come in here & do the right thing." So the head coach reiterated the team's stance on his past, essentially saying "if you want to play for us, that craps over." How this draft is eventually graded 2-3 years down the road will depend mostly on these two players. Did they play up to their potential & did they keep it clean?
Both have Pro Bowl potential, don't be fooled by Justin Houston's 3rd round selection, he held a 1st round grade until it became known he had failed a drug test at the combine. He began to plummet down draft boards immediately all over the league. The news didn't leak out to us draftniks until late last week. Even before this news I wasn't a big Houston supporter. He took way too many plays off last season for me to give him a ringing endorsement. When this kid plays up to his potential, he's a force to be reckoned with, he has the ability to wreck a lot of plays. Can he play every down with reckless abandon all the while keeping a bong out of reach 24/7/365? If he does, the Chiefs got an excellent defensive player & Tamba Hali will be even more dangerous rushing the passer.
Jonathan Baldwin didn't take plays off when I watched Pitt the past two years but at times he let his frustration with his quarterback show. He also called out his position coach & quarterback in public for "trying to ruin his draft stock" when the Panthers weren't playing well. That kind of crap stays in the locker room, if that frustration & anger is vented in public, a player can lose the support & respect of his teammates. To some extent, he reportedly lost a few of his teammates because of that public criticism. Baldwin has good speed for his size. He uses his big body to shield defenders from the ball. His 42" vertical jump coupled with his 6' 4" height, makes him a very dangerous redzone receiver. His downside is rather extensive & that is what makes Baldwin a candidate to be a major bust. He rounds off a lot of routes, gives very little effort as a blocker & catches too many balls against his body. But he is an excellent vertical threat, he runs good deep routes & tracks the deep ball over his shoulder very well. it's the quick routes he doesn't run as sharply. if he comes in truly ready to work, listens & learns, he could be a major force in this league. But he has a very high bust-factor that can't be ignored.
For the rest of the Chiefs' draft I'll begin with 2nd round selection Rodney Hudson. I have been touting this young man as a Kansas City Chief for months. He's smart, he works hard, he's like a smaller version of Will Shields, my favorite Chiefs offensive lineman of all time. Hudson played 832 snaps as a senior & was flagged for one penalty. He can pull, trap, cut & hit moving targets at the next level snap after snap. Hudson obviously takes great pride in his play, you love players like this. Team captain & FSU's Offensive MVP, voted by his teammates. He played left guard at Florida State almost exclusively, but his skill set should allow him to excel as an NFL center. Great pick!
Miami's Allen Bailey, a defensive end, was Kansas City's second choice in the third round. In the games I saw Miami play I was locked onto basically two defenders, Bailey & corner Brandon Harris. Bailey works hard, he doesn't take plays off, but he makes very little happen. He does have a good bull rush & a decent swim counter move rushing the passer. But against the run, he's almost clueless as to where the play is going & who has the ball. Poor instincts & play recognition. I don't know that those things can be taught at this level, either you have them or you don't. He is a decent pass rusher because he knows exactly where the QB is. I think he could be on a level with Wallace Gilberry as a pass rusher, certainly better than Tyson Jackson or Glenn Dorsey. For that reason alone, he could be an impact situational player.
Cornerback Jalil Brown from Colorado was picked on a lot because #1 draft pick Jimmy Smith was on the other side. Brown tracks the ball pretty well, but his ball skills aren't anything special. Brown is tough, I never saw him flustered or intimidated, decent in run support. Doesn't really hit, he's more of a grab & drag-down tackler. He lacks closing speed if he loses his man, but Brown never gave up on any play I saw. Looks to be a backup & special teams player. Another of Scott Pioli's team captains.
Kansas City needed an upgrade at backup quarterback & with Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, they appear to have gotten just that. He's bigger, stronger than Brody Croyle & doesn't have the extensive injury history Croyle had. Tho he doesn't have the big arm Croyle possesses, Stanzi is much better in the pocket & his decision making is superior. He's also a fine leader, total control of his huddle. Plays hurt. This afternoon Mel Kiper Jr. was asked on ESPN what would be the most surprising thing to come out of this entire draft 3 years down the road? His response was "Ricky Stanzi will be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs." For what that's worth. Regardless, it was an excellent pick.
The Chiefs' second pick in the 5th round had me scrambling to find anything about him. Oregon State defensive end Gabe Miller was hardly a household name amongst us draftniks. I saw six OSU games this past season & I knew nothing of Miller. I had to go online to find anything resembling a scouting report on Miller. After my third data base, I found that he was rated as the 72nd best OLB by Scouts Inc. on ESPN.com. SI.com & FOXSports.com each listed over 500 players & he was nowhere to be found. NFLDraftScout.com listed Miller as "slender with a lower body that will require extensive weight room work." I'm going out on a limb & say Gabe Miller would have been there in the 7th round, why expend a high 5th round draft pick on a player like him?
The sixth round selection of Ole Miss nose tackle candidate Jerrell Powe made me smile. Powe should quickly become a good upgrade at a very important position in Romeo Crennell's defense. Powe fought an uphill battle just to play for Ole Miss, he had been declared academically ineligible three different times but he kept working, studying, refusing to give up his dream of a college education & a career in the National Football League. Powe received multiple awards for his dedication & perseverance, he was elected captain by his teammates. Powe played at 338 pounds this past season, but made it clear after he was drafted that Todd Haley wants him to come in between 320-325. He doesn't get much of a push in pass rush, but he is tough to move in the running game. His stamina didn't appear to be NFL caliber, he'll need conditioning work & also some good coaching on using his hands better. Powe has the physical attributes to play this position & I believe he'll will work hard for D-line coach Anthony Pleasant. I like the pick.
The seventh round came & once again I was sent to the computer to find who the hell Shane Bannon was. The fullback from Yale will put law school on hold to pursue his NFL dreams. He didn't have a single carry last season & only two as a junior. He did catch 13 passes for 122-yards in 2010. When Bannon was told by his coach he could play in the NFL before his junior year, he put everything into becoming an effective & intimidating lead blocker in the Bulldog offense. Bannon is big, 6' 2" & 268 & I've read he keeps his shoulders square when he leads the running back into the hole & packs quite a wallop. He's able to pick up blitzers effectively & needless to say, he's very, very smart. I have to confess I haven't seen an Ivy League game in years, so I never put an eyeball on Bannon or his ability to block. I wonder if he appeared on many radar screens around the league, could the Chiefs have signed him as an undrafted free agent? Since he would only be apart of maybe 15% of the snaps, it's a pretty specialized position. I don't know if he can be much better than current Chiefs' fullback Mike Cox. Since Tony Richardson was cast aside by Carl Peterson, the Chiefs really haven't had a consistently effective lead blocker.
So summing up this draft class, if the red flag guys play well & stay out of trouble, this draft could easily equal last year's harvest of college talent. Color me hopeful but somewhat skeptical.
I can't sign off on this post without saying thank you to our men & women in uniform around the world. I know some of you read my stuff when you can. We are fortunate to have such brave people in our all-volunteer force. A select group of them carried out a daring raid on a compound in Pakistan Sunday night & during the mission, Osama Bin Laden was shot & killed. His body was recovered & less than 10 hours later, he was buried at sea. Good riddance to a truly evil human being, the world's a much better place now that you're fish food.
Both have Pro Bowl potential, don't be fooled by Justin Houston's 3rd round selection, he held a 1st round grade until it became known he had failed a drug test at the combine. He began to plummet down draft boards immediately all over the league. The news didn't leak out to us draftniks until late last week. Even before this news I wasn't a big Houston supporter. He took way too many plays off last season for me to give him a ringing endorsement. When this kid plays up to his potential, he's a force to be reckoned with, he has the ability to wreck a lot of plays. Can he play every down with reckless abandon all the while keeping a bong out of reach 24/7/365? If he does, the Chiefs got an excellent defensive player & Tamba Hali will be even more dangerous rushing the passer.
Jonathan Baldwin didn't take plays off when I watched Pitt the past two years but at times he let his frustration with his quarterback show. He also called out his position coach & quarterback in public for "trying to ruin his draft stock" when the Panthers weren't playing well. That kind of crap stays in the locker room, if that frustration & anger is vented in public, a player can lose the support & respect of his teammates. To some extent, he reportedly lost a few of his teammates because of that public criticism. Baldwin has good speed for his size. He uses his big body to shield defenders from the ball. His 42" vertical jump coupled with his 6' 4" height, makes him a very dangerous redzone receiver. His downside is rather extensive & that is what makes Baldwin a candidate to be a major bust. He rounds off a lot of routes, gives very little effort as a blocker & catches too many balls against his body. But he is an excellent vertical threat, he runs good deep routes & tracks the deep ball over his shoulder very well. it's the quick routes he doesn't run as sharply. if he comes in truly ready to work, listens & learns, he could be a major force in this league. But he has a very high bust-factor that can't be ignored.
For the rest of the Chiefs' draft I'll begin with 2nd round selection Rodney Hudson. I have been touting this young man as a Kansas City Chief for months. He's smart, he works hard, he's like a smaller version of Will Shields, my favorite Chiefs offensive lineman of all time. Hudson played 832 snaps as a senior & was flagged for one penalty. He can pull, trap, cut & hit moving targets at the next level snap after snap. Hudson obviously takes great pride in his play, you love players like this. Team captain & FSU's Offensive MVP, voted by his teammates. He played left guard at Florida State almost exclusively, but his skill set should allow him to excel as an NFL center. Great pick!
Miami's Allen Bailey, a defensive end, was Kansas City's second choice in the third round. In the games I saw Miami play I was locked onto basically two defenders, Bailey & corner Brandon Harris. Bailey works hard, he doesn't take plays off, but he makes very little happen. He does have a good bull rush & a decent swim counter move rushing the passer. But against the run, he's almost clueless as to where the play is going & who has the ball. Poor instincts & play recognition. I don't know that those things can be taught at this level, either you have them or you don't. He is a decent pass rusher because he knows exactly where the QB is. I think he could be on a level with Wallace Gilberry as a pass rusher, certainly better than Tyson Jackson or Glenn Dorsey. For that reason alone, he could be an impact situational player.
Cornerback Jalil Brown from Colorado was picked on a lot because #1 draft pick Jimmy Smith was on the other side. Brown tracks the ball pretty well, but his ball skills aren't anything special. Brown is tough, I never saw him flustered or intimidated, decent in run support. Doesn't really hit, he's more of a grab & drag-down tackler. He lacks closing speed if he loses his man, but Brown never gave up on any play I saw. Looks to be a backup & special teams player. Another of Scott Pioli's team captains.
Kansas City needed an upgrade at backup quarterback & with Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, they appear to have gotten just that. He's bigger, stronger than Brody Croyle & doesn't have the extensive injury history Croyle had. Tho he doesn't have the big arm Croyle possesses, Stanzi is much better in the pocket & his decision making is superior. He's also a fine leader, total control of his huddle. Plays hurt. This afternoon Mel Kiper Jr. was asked on ESPN what would be the most surprising thing to come out of this entire draft 3 years down the road? His response was "Ricky Stanzi will be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs." For what that's worth. Regardless, it was an excellent pick.
The Chiefs' second pick in the 5th round had me scrambling to find anything about him. Oregon State defensive end Gabe Miller was hardly a household name amongst us draftniks. I saw six OSU games this past season & I knew nothing of Miller. I had to go online to find anything resembling a scouting report on Miller. After my third data base, I found that he was rated as the 72nd best OLB by Scouts Inc. on ESPN.com. SI.com & FOXSports.com each listed over 500 players & he was nowhere to be found. NFLDraftScout.com listed Miller as "slender with a lower body that will require extensive weight room work." I'm going out on a limb & say Gabe Miller would have been there in the 7th round, why expend a high 5th round draft pick on a player like him?
The sixth round selection of Ole Miss nose tackle candidate Jerrell Powe made me smile. Powe should quickly become a good upgrade at a very important position in Romeo Crennell's defense. Powe fought an uphill battle just to play for Ole Miss, he had been declared academically ineligible three different times but he kept working, studying, refusing to give up his dream of a college education & a career in the National Football League. Powe received multiple awards for his dedication & perseverance, he was elected captain by his teammates. Powe played at 338 pounds this past season, but made it clear after he was drafted that Todd Haley wants him to come in between 320-325. He doesn't get much of a push in pass rush, but he is tough to move in the running game. His stamina didn't appear to be NFL caliber, he'll need conditioning work & also some good coaching on using his hands better. Powe has the physical attributes to play this position & I believe he'll will work hard for D-line coach Anthony Pleasant. I like the pick.
The seventh round came & once again I was sent to the computer to find who the hell Shane Bannon was. The fullback from Yale will put law school on hold to pursue his NFL dreams. He didn't have a single carry last season & only two as a junior. He did catch 13 passes for 122-yards in 2010. When Bannon was told by his coach he could play in the NFL before his junior year, he put everything into becoming an effective & intimidating lead blocker in the Bulldog offense. Bannon is big, 6' 2" & 268 & I've read he keeps his shoulders square when he leads the running back into the hole & packs quite a wallop. He's able to pick up blitzers effectively & needless to say, he's very, very smart. I have to confess I haven't seen an Ivy League game in years, so I never put an eyeball on Bannon or his ability to block. I wonder if he appeared on many radar screens around the league, could the Chiefs have signed him as an undrafted free agent? Since he would only be apart of maybe 15% of the snaps, it's a pretty specialized position. I don't know if he can be much better than current Chiefs' fullback Mike Cox. Since Tony Richardson was cast aside by Carl Peterson, the Chiefs really haven't had a consistently effective lead blocker.
So summing up this draft class, if the red flag guys play well & stay out of trouble, this draft could easily equal last year's harvest of college talent. Color me hopeful but somewhat skeptical.
I can't sign off on this post without saying thank you to our men & women in uniform around the world. I know some of you read my stuff when you can. We are fortunate to have such brave people in our all-volunteer force. A select group of them carried out a daring raid on a compound in Pakistan Sunday night & during the mission, Osama Bin Laden was shot & killed. His body was recovered & less than 10 hours later, he was buried at sea. Good riddance to a truly evil human being, the world's a much better place now that you're fish food.
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