ChiefsPlanet - Talking Draft Prospects

ChiefsPlanet (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/index.php)

- Saccopoo Memorial Draft Forum (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/forumdisplay.php?f=29)

- - Talking Draft Prospects (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=286830)

CB P.J. Williams, Florida State -- For teams looking to copy the Seahawks mold, P.J. Williams should be in high demand. His size is somewhat relevant, as he's listed as 6'0", 196, but doesn't quite look that long. What really stands out is his press man coverage. The Seahawks defense is as good as it is because it reliably takes away QB's first looks, forcing them to take longer to pass which helps the passrush, and tackling well. Williams gets beat occasionally, but it almost always takes the WR forever to separate from him. He's physical all over the field, initiating contact at the line of scrimmage and using the sideline as an extra defender. He's able to stay in the hip pocket of receivers as he runs with them, despite lacking elite speed. Quarterbacks largely avoid throwing to him, and he's seemingly in the mix every single time they try. In the open field, Williams is an excellent tackler with a penchant for big hits. I was underwhelmed by his play against the run, but it wasn't bad, he just isn't the explosive presence that he is against the pass.

CB + WR + ILB

Should be our picks in the top 3 rounds.

Marcus Cooper isn't really starter quality right now, giving up too many receptions.

Bowe is our only solid WR.

DJ is done as a great ILB in this league.

OT/G La'el Collins, LSU -- I looked into Colins last year in depth, because I thought he was going to declare. Here's what I shared:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun (Post 10356205)

When Collins is on, he is an outstanding lineman in size, athleticism, toughness, technique, and versatility. When he's off, which does happen, he can lapse and give up some plays. With solid coaching, however, you can probably eliminate his negative tendencies and end up with a Pro Bowl caliber talent a few years down the road at either guard or right tackle. Right now, teams are potentially scouting him for left tackle, considering that was his position at LSU, and I have a really hard time believing he wouldn't be really good there, either.

His athleticism doesn't jump out at you, but he can get where he needs to get, and does plenty fine at the second level. He's somebody you can send out on screens without having much issue at all. Moreover, if Collins performs well at the Combine, these fears will be allayed almost entirely.

What really jumps out at you is Collins' runblocking. He's an extremely powerful runblocker who gets low and bulldozes through lineman of all shapes and sizes. Collins has the potential to play guard for 10 years at a very high level given his size (6'5", 321), his quickness off the ball, his technique in getting leverage, and his seemingly impressive strength.

But he's quick enough to handle the edge, as well. His kickslide is pretty decent, and he's very much one of those guys that finishes you when he gets his hands on you. He's just so strong, and does a great job of keeping his butt low to retain position.

If I was desperately hurting for a guard or a right tackle at #23, and had future aspirations to improve my LT position, Collins would be an outstanding candidate to move there. Strong, heady, pretty athletic, and just a great combination of technique in the passing game and brute strength in the run game.

From his time on LSU, you can pretty much plug him in right away and play. Collins has a really high floor -- but he's already pretty much where his ceiling is going to be. He's never going to become much better than he is now, and teams love upside prospects in the 1st round.

Projection for Collins: I'm higher on Collins than most, and I'd say he's definitely first round talent. He's everything NFL teams love in first-round tackles: he's really good in pass defense, has good technique, terrific push in the run game, can play multiple positions. The thing he's lacking is upside. There's some technique you could do with Collins, but the guy you get on Day One is the guy you got.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderate. I honestly think Dorsey would bring in another OL in the first round if the player warranted it, but I think he wants a guy with way more upside than Collins. Collins, again, is a really good player and will be one of the best OL in his draft class, but he's probably not going to give you that game-changing All Pro talent that you're probably hoping for when you draft an OL like this in the 1st.

DE/DT Mario Edwards, Jr., Florida State -- Mario is a lunch pail player who's impact on a defense is not very well summarized by his statistics. His ability to clog the line of scrimmage and to even apply some occasional pressure recall to mind Glenn Dorsey when he was a Chief (not Glenn Dorsey when he was a Wolverine or 49er). He's more able to provide pressure than Dorsey, but not yet the kind of powerful run-stopper Dorsey became. Edwards works very hard and rarely quits on a play, and showcases a surprising degree of speed when chasing after QBs (I predict he times at 4.8 -- pretty good for a 6'3", 298 lb). He's versatile, as well -- the Seminoles lined him up everywhere, and in 2013 even had him stand up as an edge rusher about 50% of the time (which he was terrible at). Edwards' place is as a 5-tech in a 3-4, but a 4-3 team could use him as a DT or even a DE in a pinch. He nets a few sacks a year, which I don't think will continue in the NFL. He'd be ideal as a two-gapper, in my opinion -- his has strong arms and a good base to hold up lineman, often times demanding double teams. He's projected as a 1st rounder right now by draft analysts, but I'd probably only look at him if I ran a two-gap 3-4, and I would take him in the 2nd round at the absolute earliest.

Edit (11/18): Yet again, this is a guy you must trust your coaches on if you're taking him in the first. You're talking about a guy with damn near prototypical size as a 3-4 DE, and has spent nearly 100% of his time rushing the passer with good results as a stand up passrusher at Florida State. He is going to be a massive, multi-year project for whoever drafts him, as they'll have to totally remake him, but I think he goes late in the 1st.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSchool (Post 10970051)

This team needs an OL more than CB right now. Also, WR isn't used as much in Reid's offense. I think we could get one with one of our 3rd rd picks and be okay. Or sign Maclin (fingers crossed).

I still think that if we had a 2nd rd pick in 13, we draft Kiko Alonso. We went to Oregon to see him that year.
The Kendrick's kid could be an option, but it's clear that we need to build the foundation on the lines now that we have some weapons and a QB.

Alex is on pace for 28 TD's with shit at WR and OL. This guy will throw 30+ TD's if he has a better OL and one more weapon outside.

WR would be at the top of my list. Need guys on the outside to scare defenses, other than Bowe.

Cooper would be option 1A. Or trade our 1st and a 3rd to the Browns for Gordon.

I would ideally like us to use our first 4 picks in rd 3 (Comp for Albert) on OL, WR, S and ILB.

Cooper is a nice #2 IMO. If Sean Smith keeps playing like this then he's worth the money. Also have Owens and Gaines behind him. That's solid. I think that safety is thin.

If there is a Zack Martin type OL who is very pro ready in rd 1, I don't see how we pass on him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun (Post 10970053)

OT/G La'el Collins, LSU -- I looked into Colins last year in depth, because I thought he was going to declare. Here's what I shared:

This is my pick right now. Long arms, 6'5", stout square body, very quick off the line and does really well at the 2nd level.

Sounds like a wet dream for this front office.

Wouldn't spend a first rounder on a guard, rather a wr

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunKC (Post 10970419)

The thing is, I hoped that Cooper would improve over last year. He has to an extent, not allowing any deep passes so far, but he is giving up over 70% completions to his player in coverage, that's not acceptable from a starting corner, IMO. Not with this pass rush. He needs to be at 60% at worst. Good thing is that most of this is underneath and it's ok if he can tackle them short of a 1st down, but he blew it against Lafell.

Drafting Marcus Peters in the 1st will help tremendously, either that or Cooper and Gaines developing into quality corners. I think Sean Smith, if he remains consistent in his level of play, should stick around for the duration of his contract.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSchool (Post 10971004)

I agree. I'm seeing quite a few good WR's and CB's projected in this draft
In rd 1.
If this OL becomes solid than wow.

I just look at Dallas and what they've done with their OL the last couple years and wow. Our OL gets like that with our current young players then wow.

I would drop our 3rd round comp pick on OL. Of course, that's entirely dependent on what our FO decides to do with Hudson and in free agency. Also depends on what they think of Stephenson and Allen on a long term basis. If they don't think much of either guy, it's entirely possible that they drop one of our top 3 picks on OL.

On another note, while we fans would love to see us draft a promising young WR, I don't think that it necessarily has to be a traditional WR.

I could see Dorsey becoming enamored with a guy like Funchess, who is a WR/TE tweener, and take him in the 1st round with 100% confidence in Andy Reid's ability to use "Offensive Weapons", guys who don't really have a true position but are super athletic and have some special trait, at his disposal. Funchess could easily be our version of Hernandez while Kelce assumes the role of a faster and more elusive Gronk.

To put the cherry on top, can you imagine Demetrius Harris in year 3? The guy has made tremendous strides from year 1 to year 2. If Reid is as good of a coach as I think he is, we could see something special between Kelce and Harris as soon as later this season.

Kelce - 24 years old, 6'5" 260 pounds, 4.61 40 yard dash, 35" vert, already proven that he is a great receiving option.

Demetrius Harris - 23 years old, 6'7", 250 pounds, 4.52 40 yard dash, 36.5" vert, has shown tremendous improvements as a football player, still needs to learn how to win consistently with his size and route running, but he's only been playing football for 1 year since he did it in high school. The ceiling on this guy might be higher than Kelce when it's all said and done, let's see if Reid and Co can pull that out of him.

Then if you throw in a guy like Devin Funchess - 6'5", 230 pounds, projected 4.5 40 (has enough speed on tape to threaten down field), unknown vert but has shown the ability to elevate and high point over quality DBs.

If even just 2 of these guys pan out, that gives us 2 players that'll give D. Coordinators nightmares, on top of our RBs and DAT, because, physically, it's almost impossible to match them especially given the new rules in the passing game.

But I'll stop dreaming now.

The development of Fisher, Hudson, Stephenson the rest of this season is going to be huge.

Chiefs need to go OL or DE in the 1st round and 2nd round. Think those spots are the biggest needs with the lack of production at OG and the loss of Mike DeVito.

We should have at least two third round picks. We need to make good use of them and i'd go ILB and CB.

Im choosing to address WR in free agency. We basically need a 'decoy' type WR that will run deep and bring a safety with him. That will open up the field for guys like Kelce, DAT, Bowe, Charles, Thomas etc...