My overall impression of the Draft

[kychief 239]

yea..the only thing..they signed bray to a 2 yr contract last yr while he was on IR..

course it might be small money and easily cut...

I'm pulling for murray and Hogan anyway..

[West 6,714]

I had breakfast with Todd Husak last Friday ( Stanford QB before Luck, played for Washington, Jets, Broncos and Cleveland) morning in Palo Alto.

 

General opinion:  Niners were fools to let Alex Smith go.  Hogan could be a serviceable NFL Backup and KC was the perfect landing spot for him.

 

Todd said that Hogan is a fierce competitor and VERY smart kid.  His mechanics need work and Andy Reid is the right coach for him.

 

Take it for what it worth.

 

w

[kychief 239]

what did you all eat?

[DieHard 2,061]

I think that is a good sign. If physical ability was the determining factor Jeff George would be the best QB ever and we never would have heard of Joe Montana.

 

Just saying I love smart guys that hunger to compete.

[West 6,714]

This is the truth:  It was my second breakfast of the day.  Whole Wheat Toast....

 

One of the Vikings Players visited us this weekend ( he went to the same high school I went to in NJ) and he is thinking about life after the NFL.  Really great kid, he played with Tebow in Florida-National Championship, Played for the NY Giants - Super Bowl...He graduated from Florida with a BS in Sports Management and Marketing.  I took him into Google, UBS Bank, CBRE Commercial Real Estate, Cowan & Associates, Applied Materials and Twitter.  Todd is now running the CBRE NorCal office and he was able to talk about life after the NFL.

 

It was fun watching the draft with him for his insights...

 

w

[xen 1,010,220]

Tyler Palko threw like negative 10mph and completed a lot of passes in the NFL.

Sport science had teddy Bridgewater at 54 MPh. I saw a study that had drew brees throwing at targets and he was at a 52 MPH avg. I think he did ok.

 

They've only been clocking throwing speed at the combine for a few years and it's not required so many prospects don't participate, especially the top ones.

 

So I find the entire 55mph thing to be incredibly dubious at best.

[xen 1,010,220]

I had breakfast with Todd Husak last Friday ( Stanford QB before Luck, played for Washington, Jets, Broncos and Cleveland) morning in Palo Alto.

 

General opinion: Niners were fools to let Alex Smith go. Hogan could be a serviceable NFL Backup and KC was the perfect landing spot for him.

 

Todd said that Hogan is a fierce competitor and VERY smart kid. His mechanics need work and Andy Reid is the right coach for him.

 

Take it for what it worth.

 

w

David Shaw said the same thing. Arm strength is far from the top of the list for good WCO qb's.

[DieHard 2,061]

Very nice. Hey, we should all get together again this year. I think I was out of the country last year. Mini-Festivus? I know AH will come down. We can time it with a BBQ contest. Lol.

[West 6,714]

We are in for sure....Was able to hook up with OT and Kim last fall ....Debbie and I love visiting would love to see another game.

 

Chiefs need to win the west and go to the AFC Championship this year....its time.

 

w

[Bilyous2 884]

Actually, I wish Ramik was faster.  His instincts make up for some lack of speed but there's no substitute for raw speed.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see about Hogan.  Given that he's a winner and maybe his arm can be upgraded with coaching, but college coaches aren't stupid and if better technique put more zip on the ball, why didn't they teach it?  I don't see Hogan beating out Murray for the backup and the Chiefs will have to keep Hogan on the roster to keep other teams from grabbing him off the practice squad.  So he holds the clipboard until next season when Dorsey drafts another QB in the fifth or sixth round.  I don't see him as the QBOTF.

Time will tell, but that's a good point.

[jetlord 10,209]

Very nice. Hey, we should all get together again this year. I think I was out of the country last year. Mini-Festivus? I know AH will come down. We can time it with a BBQ contest. Lol.

How about Sept. 25?  IIRC, that's the Jets game.  Arrowhead can make all the arrangements.  

[DieHard 2,061]

I'm in.

[eraser 722]

Actually, I wish Ramik was faster.  His instincts make up for some lack of speed but there's no substitute for raw speed.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see about Hogan.  Given that he's a winner and maybe his arm can be upgraded with coaching, but college coaches aren't stupid and if better technique put more zip on the ball, why didn't they teach it?  I don't see Hogan beating out Murray for the backup and the Chiefs will have to keep Hogan on the roster to keep other teams from grabbing him off the practice squad.  So he holds the clipboard until next season when Dorsey drafts another QB in the fifth or sixth round.  I don't see him as the QBOTF.

 

Ramik Wilson is fairly fast. He ran a 4.62 40 on his pro day. The more troubling number was his 3 cone. He ran a 7.47 second 3 cone.  Luke Kuechly is regarded to be one of the best ILB in the NFL. He ran the 60 in 4.58, and had a 6.92 second 3 cone. Patrick Willis, another highly regarded ILB, ran a 4.51 second 40, and a somewhat slower 7.23 second 3 cone. Laurinaitis was slower in his 40 (4.82), but ran a 6.93 second 3 cone.

 

40 yard times are greatly overrated. The 40 tells a portion of the story, but not all. The 3 cone is more indicative of the ability to quickly move along the line of scrimmage and react to the other players on the field. Even that doesn't begin to determine how a player will turn out on the real playing field. It is only an indicator. Ramik Wilson's test scores are a little slower than some of the best. However, he is close enough. He can be competitive, especially if he masters the defensive scheme, and reacts quickly to what he sees.

[Bilyous2 884]

After 3 they should just stop counting.

 

I agree that Jones may not do much the first year but we don't really need him to start. Just to earn some minutes.

Jones could either become a monster on the field at some point or a monstrously fat and useless D-lineman.  I hope he is kidding about all the BBQ he can't wait to eat.  He might eat his way out of a job.

[eraser 722]

?  accurately describes my feelings for the draft.

 

 

They took a lot of high risk, problematic players, who for the most part have a good amount of potential.

 

One thing you can say is John Dorsey did definitely defy the critics. He did not play it safe as presumed by many.

[kccrow 529]

This was the grade I posted with some thoughts... I will say I'm going to disagree with Witchita a shit-load on D.J. White.

 

2.37 - Chris Jones, DE, Mississippi State - A-
Moving down netted bad value from a trade chart perspective, but good value from a player acquisition standpoint. Jones was a borderline 1st round prospect and flashes dominant abilities at times. If the Chiefs can get this kid to play 100% all of the time, he's got serious potential to be one of the top 3-4 DE's in the NFL.

3.74 - KeiVarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame - A
Yet another move down was seriously questionable, but the Chiefs got great trade value to make up for their round 1 trade. Russell was the best CB in college football before academic issues and a broken leg caused him to miss significant time. Russell came back and also performed well at FS. This kid has the ability to be a lock down CB in the NFL.

4.105 - Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati - C
With one of their acquired picks from trading, the Chiefs certainly surprised by taking Ehinger. Ehinger doesn't look to have the ability from an athletic standpoint to back up left tackle and might not have enough to even be a right tackle. Additionally, might be too long to be very functional at guard, although he does show good knee bend. Ehinger is a developmental guy as he doesn't have enough strength to be a day one contributor. In my opinion, a two-round reach.

4.106 - Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota - B+
With another acquired pick from trades, the Chiefs got a good player in Eric Murray as he excels in coverage. The problem with Murray is that he lacks ball skills. Of course, Sean Smith lacked ball skills as well. The Chiefs have stacked their defensive backfield, after losing Smith to free agency, with guys that can stick in coverage.

4.126 - Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida - C
The Chiefs took a good looking slot guy here in Robinson, showing outstanding lateral agility and quick twitch traits to gain immediate separation on underneath routes. Robinson doesn't have elite long speed, but he has tremendous value in a specific role. The problem with Robinson isn't his on-field production as much as his off-field mistakes. If Robinson can stay away from the weed, the Chiefs stole themselves a day 2 player on day 3. Based on his history, that's a big if.

5.162 - Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford - B-
I'm a big fan of continually cycling the QB position looking for improvements to the backups and potential for a long-term guy. Hogan has a ton of traits you like, including the ability to make NFL throws, good athleticism, and a high IQ. Hogan's also played in a pro-style offense, keeping that learning curve to a minimum. The problems with Hogan are with his mechanics and footwork, where he is insanely sloppy and has a hitch in his delivery like Phillip Rivers. If the Chiefs coaching staff can fix several of these issues, they got themselves a steal.

5.165 - Tyreek Hill, WR, West Alabama - D-
I really don't care how physically gifted a player is, when you choke your pregnant girlfriend I have issues. Hill is solid catching the football and is a decent runner, plus has elite speed and ability to hit a home run play. While Hill could develop into a contributor in the return game and as a receiver, I just don't understand the gamble this early on huge character problems. A De'Anthony Thomas type.

6-178 - D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech - A
White is a very solid corner that can play press, man, zone, whatever you ask him to do. He's quicker than he is fast, but he's not slow. Makes good plays on the ball and is a fundamentally sound tackler. Not alot not to like about White, but he is on the shorter side. His toughness and tackling ability make him an easy bet to be a nickle/slot defender or free safety type in Bob Sutton's defense.

6-203 - Dadi Nicolas, LB, Virginia Tech - F
Nicolas is severely undersized to stay at DE/OLB in the Chiefs 3-4. He also lacks elite athletic traits that you could project being adequate if he gains 30 pounds. Nicolas' best bet is to move to ILB, but he doesn't have outstanding change of direction skills and could face a steep learning curve. About the only thing Nicolas projects to right now is special teams. A big-time head scratcher at best, but it's only a 7th rounder. UDFA Terrance Smith would have been a much better selection here in my opinion.


GPA = 2.48 before adjustments.
Adjustments: +0.30 for net gain in draft picks -0.10 for not taking a 2nd offensive lineman.

Final Grade: B-

Overall, I'm most disappointed with what I feel is a lackluster selection of an O-lineman in Ehinger, passing on very good guards and pass rushers, taking two guys with character flags, and capping it all off with a guy that may not fit at any position in the NFL and if he does it will take 3 years of development before he can make an impact of any sort.

On the plus side, I'm happy the Chiefs got some corners. I think they replace Smith, Fleming, and Cooper on the depth chart at the position. Fleming moved to safety, I see Cooper as a cut. I also like the Chiefs snagging a good DE prospect to help the defensive line rotation, because I wasn't satisfied with the quality of backups. Even if I don't agree with the players, the Chiefs did try to address the passing game and return game, which needed upgrades this year.

As always, I'll cheer on Dorsey's picks and hope for the best.

[DieHard 2,061]

I love this breakdown. Makes me optimistic. I am not to concerned with Ehinger. Same kind of concerns existed last year with Morse. Played multiple positions in college and probably underrated because of it. I see what they like in those flexible guys. Morse turned out to be a pretty damn good player.

[Bilyous2 884]

Next man up.  This is a major reason why we won 11 straight.  Football is a meat grinder, an injury machine.  You win if you can play "next man up."  Dorsey knows that versatility within a position group is an ace-in-the-hole.  Especially later in the season when other teams are dealing with injuries and can't plug in guys who can play well.

[Chiefsfan1963 1,101]

Like coaches and gms I will reserve my opinion on the draft for another 3 to 4 years.

[DieHard 2,061]

That is a true statement. We have no idea how well they did right now.

[xen 1,010,220]

Damn good writeup crow. I agree with much of that.

 

Although I'm not that concerned with Robinson's character. I believe all of the weed incidents were from his Freshman year and he was a leader on the team for the last few years after he got his shit together. The only other incident was meeting with a marketing guy his senior year but that's pretty tame compared to the 2 Ole miss guys that went in the first.

 

I thought he was a really good value where we picked him.

[jetlord 10,209]

Agree with most of Crow's post.  If one omitted Hill's off field issues, how would his grade change?  Not to ignore character problems, but just for the sake of discussion, what if Hill has no further problems?  Could he be the next Dante Hall?  If so, then his grade would be at least a B+.  One thing I've noticed is that we all analyze the sixth round picks like the Chiefs future depends on them but ignore the picks from last couple of years that didn't make an immediate impact.  I think the development of Ford, Conley, Gaines, Ramik and a few others are more important to the Chiefs 2016 success than Hogan, White, or Ehlinger..

[eraser 722]

I may disagree with a few of Crow's opinions, but I cannot be more impressed with the way he backs his arguments. He continually adds value to this forum by being informed, and putting forth a lot of effort in his posts. 

 

I would rate Chris Jones a little lower, due to his off and on motor. The guy has mad skills. He could be a monster at DE. Guys usually don't just turn that motor on over night. It is either that they play every down, or they are guys who take plays off. We shall see. 

 

I am becoming more and more impressed with KeiVarae Russell. Hearing him speak sold me his mistake over academic issues was just a one off experience. The way he went out of the way to make things right was unreal. At this level all these guys have talent. What sets players apart can be their inner strength, intelligence, and dedication. Russell seems to have this in bulk supply. 

 

Apparently Ehinger is a close friend of Travis Kelce. I wonder if this played a part in the decision. I hope not, but even so... maybe something good will come out of it. I see him as a utility OL guy, who can play T or G. I do not currently believe he will be a starter, especially not this year. I do retain the right to change my opinion based on further knowledge (i.e. the guy proves he can play - see Morse). 

 

Eric Murray seems to be a nice pick up as well. He looks like a nickle or possibly even another guy who can play S. The Chiefs apparently like Fleming, and there is speculation he fits better at S. I don't get it. Fleming looks like a mess to me. If Murray can replace Fleming at nickle.. perhaps the Chiefs can test out Fleming at S. I just don't see it, but the coaches have earned that trust. 

 

Robinson could be a fairly good receiver. I understand he could have been a Rd 1 or Rd 2 guy if he stayed off the weed. No, weed probably doesn't interfere with his ability to play the game, and it probably won't hurt if he doesn't drive while intoxicated. However, it can keep him on the sidelines. It also is a sign of a guy who cannot make a commitment to the team. Guys that continually fail the team, cannot be trusted. Potheads, that cannot learn usually don't turn around. 

 

Kevin Hogan is smart. He cannot play in the NFL unless he can throw with a reasonable amount of velocity. I know Alex Smith does not process a Howitzer for an arm, but his arm is more than adequate. A lot of the talk about Alex arm strength is overstated. He can put the ball in tight spots. That doesn't happen without a little steam on the ball. Alex cannot connect on long passes as his accuracy fails. He has the arm to hit passes in the intermediate. Hogan will get intercepted if he cannot find a few more mph on his fast ball. I would rate him a little lower. Clipboard artists don't usually factor in anyway, so it might not matter. Hogan for Bray will not make me stay up all night. 

 

Tyreek Hill cannot speak. He seems to be... well how can I say this? STUPID. He is probably not going to make much of his life. If he didn't have 4.25 speed, we wouldn't be talking about him. He would be a statistic in the community. Running the ball back on returns almost requires a sub three digit IQ. You have to be stupid not to be aware of the risks. I wouldn't have picked him. It doesn't sit right. Maybe it will work out in the short run. A good return guy usually has the lifespan of a fruit fly. 

 

DJ White could be a starter at CB. The guy can play. Nice pick. If he is no better than a nickle or dime... it is a brilliant move. 

 

Dadi Nicholas is a low 6th rounder who has no position in the NFL. He is such a tweener, he will not be effective unless they bulk that man up. He is destined to be a practice player unless the Chiefs believe he has serious potential and they want to protect him. I just don't see it, but who knows. He might become a decent OLB in the 3-4. All he has to do is add 30 lbs without losing any speed, and learn how to play. 

 

Mitch Mathews and Shak Randolph deserve mention. They weren't selected in the draft, but it won't matter if they make the team. Both could do just that. I was shocked neither got picked up. Randolph was a wide receiver before being converted to cb. He runs a 4.6 40, and seems nimble. Added to his 6'4" frame, Randolph also boasts a 42 inch vertical leap. If nothing else, he could be a good jump ball specialist in the end zone. 

[Bilyous2 884]

That, like Crow's, is a great summary.  I feel better about Hogan, but that is about it.  Besides the emotional issues, Hill amazes me by his language skills.  How can anyone be in college and not be able to put any kind of grammar together?  All of his brains went into his legs and feet.  Fruit fly is a good longevity prognosis.

 

I agree with your assessment of Robinson.  Weed and football do not mix.  It makes a person less driven and passionate.  It takes the edge off.  Makes a person too mellow....like Dwayne Bowe.  And it hangs around for days. Slows reflexes a tiny bit and would make a receiver drop a few more catchable passes than if it were not in the system.  It isn't metabolized quickly like alcohol. Even after days, some of it is still there in the system, affecting mental passion, drive, and motivation. It also means that there is less of a mental barrier to abuse of other things. It does decrease pain about like a couple of aspirin.  That is good for all the bumps, bruises, and aches of football. But overall, it is a huge negative.

[jetlord 10,209]

Remember an Oklahoma U. player named Marcus DuPree?  His IQ and speaking skills make Hill sound like Winston Churchill.  It also reminds me of a Cal. player (Chuck Muncie?) who played four years in college without ever entering a classroom.   Don't have to have no smarts to play ball.