Best draft picks by Round - Round 1
 

I'll switch this up a little. Before posting my top 10 list, I'll start from the bottom, revealing in reverse order all 56 of the Chiefs' 1st round picks over the years. Then I'll put the top ten in this OP and put up the poll.

Feel free to share your memories, happiness, or disgust at each pick. I'll post one whenever I'm slightly bored.

#1 Buck Buchanan, DT
#2 Tony Gonzalez, TE
#3 Derrick Thomas, ROLB
#4 Ed Budde, LG
#5 Eric Berry, SS
#6 Gary Green, CB
#7 Derrick Johnson, ILB, OLB
#8 Art Still, DE
#9 E.J. Holub, OLB/C
#10 Tamba Hali, OLB/DE

#56. Ronnie Bull, 1962, RB. #3 pick (AFL).

He was also drafted by the Bears in the NFL and he went there instead. He actually lasted quite a while in the NFL, 9 seasons with the Bears and 1 with the Eagles. Over 3,200 yards rushing at a 3.7 pace and almost 1,500 yards receiving. Never made the pro bowl, though, and never put on a Chiefs uniform, so he was a total bust. He was replaced as the Bears' halfback by Gale Sayers, and moved to fullback.

Here's a little info about Ronnie Bull if you can briefly tolerate the Chicago Tribune's annoying popups.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...207-story.html

#55, Gale Sayers, 1965. #5 pick (AFL).

Our two worst-ever first-round picks were stolen by the Bears. Injury-prone running back who only played four years with less than 5,000 career rushing yards and about 1,300 receiving yards. Had a good rookie season and second season that he rode for the rest of his career and into the Hall of Fame. But he never put on a Chiefs uniform, for the simple reason that he said he would prefer to live in Chicago over Kansas City.

#54. Ethan Horton, 1985. #15 pick.

Wow. Just wow. I remembered he was a bust, but ... wow.

Drafted by the Chiefs. Runs for 146 yards his rookie year at a 3.0 ypc, and catches 28 passes. Slow start for a rookie.

He then got cut in training camp his second year.

Cut.

In.

Training.

Camp.

What on earth happened to cut a 1st round pick in training camp his second year?

The guy's out of football for year, then the Raiders pick him up in 1987 as a strike scab running back and cut him 8 games later. They bring him back for training camp the next year and cut him, and he's out of football again for another full year.

Then in 1989 the Raiders bring him in, bulk him up, and put him at tight end where he plays for six years and even makes a pro bowl. He ended up having an 8-year NFL career that's not terrible with about 2,400 yards receiving, but what happened those first few years? He clearly wasn't a running back with less than 300 yards rushing at a 3.1 ypc,

Here's an NY Times article about him from 1991: http://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/15/sp...-a-raider.html.

Seems like a decent enough guy. He felt like KC didn't give him a fair chance, bringing him into a passing-oriented offense and not giving him many carries. But he busted as a running back with the Raiders, too.

I remember being very skeptical when he was drafted that a 6-4 running back could thrive in the NFL. He was a pick that I wasn't a big fan of.

The Sam Bowie of the NFL

Ethan Horton was a thorn in the side of the Chiefs for a couple of years. As was Harvey Williams.

Heh. I meant to mention that. He went #15, and the #16 pick was Jerry Rice. Dammit, Carl!

That's interesting as hell! Didn't know that!!!

#53 - Gene Trosch, 1967, DE. #24 pick.

Gene is a huge mystery. He was drafted in the first round of the draft where Willie Lanier and Jim Lynch were the second round picks. He's listed on the roster in 1967, but not 1968, and then he's back in 1969. Was he injured? On the taxi squad? Had he been cut? I have no idea. He was apparently in 27 games during the two years he was on the active roster, though I can't find any stats.

I saw some newspaper archive that says the Dolphins picked him up, but he doesn't show up on their roster. And then his obituary says that he had a 12-year NFL career that included the Bengals and the Saints, though I don't see any documentation anywhere of him playing for anyone but the Chiefs: http://valhallafuneralhome.com/book-...h/obituary.php. I also don't see him listed on the roster of the WFL team listed in his obituary: http://www.justsportsstats.com/footb...LBIA&year=1974. I don't know what's going on there and won't speculate.

One thing for sure is that he won a Super Bowl. At the 0:58 second mark, you see him whapping Jim Tyrer's shoulder pads in the pre-game: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-networ...-Super-Bowl-IV

There's a Facebook page for him that I think was set up by a daughter or something: https://www.facebook.com/Eugene-Big-...1785174867024/. She was proud of his Chiefs years, obviously, and maybe he was, too. It seems that he must've had fond memories.

So where was he in 1968? I'm really curious.

Also, here's a very mysterious youtube video that shows you how to pronounce his name:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W5au5x0iq0Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#52. Trezelle (not Leroy) Jenkins, 1995. 31st pick.

It seemed like Marty and Carl could find linemen, so I have no idea where this pick came from. Trezelle was with the team for 3 seasons, but appeared in only 9 games and had 1 start in his career. I can't find any information about what happened to him, other than a comment in a book that the Chiefs "realized that he wasn't a very good player and soured on him quickly".

Here's a photo of a game-worn Trezelle Jenkins jersey. These are really, really rare for obvious reasons. It can be yours for $300. http://www.gamewornuniforms.com/cata...ins-p-2663.php

http://www.gamewornuniforms.com/cata...lsongold48.JPG

Trezelle Jenkins. Yep, that was a bad one. We should be seeing Ryan Sims and Tyson Jackson soon. Not to mention Todd Blackledge.

A lot of times, when I say, "Barry Richardson is the worst Chiefs player I've ever watched," I will get the response, "you obviously don't remember much about Trezelle Jenkins." And truth is, I don't remember much about him. I think I was like a Freshman in HS when we drafted him... I was real "checked out" for a few years around that age in terms of following the NFL. He was that bad, eh?

Jon Baldwin has to be in the on deck circle

WoW ! Never realized we drafted Gale sayers.

Man, that behind the back catch he made vs. the Donks was really cool. I was definitely on that hype train.

He's battling for his life right now.

#51. Sid Smith, 1970, C. 26th pick.

Maybe those glory-era Chiefs were so good that even 1st rounders couldn't crack the lineup. Sid is one of those. Drafted as a center, presumably due to the retirement of E.J. Holub and an injury to a previously drafted young center named Jack Rudnay, Smith may have been victimized by Rudnay's recovery and emergence as a pro bowler.

But regardless, he didn't stick. They tried to move him around on the line, but with no luck. He was with the team for three seasons, got one start, had great seats on the bench to watch the Christmas 1971 game, and then was gone after the 1972 season. In a short-lived players strike in 1974 he returned to the NFL with the Oilers, but didn't last the season.

It seems like he wasn't a high-risk pick as an All-American, and he was notably larger than Rudnay, so who knows?

https://img.comc.com/i/Football/1988...cd61&size=zoom

Here's an interesting fact about Sid, though. He actually caught a pass in an NFL game, on Monday Night Football and from Lenny Dawson. It wasn't exactly a Joe Valerio touchdown grab, though, and it sounds like it almost cost the Chiefs a field goal, but hey, he caught it. Here's the paraphrased story, from this site: https://fs64sports.blogspot.com/2014_12_06_archive.html

It was the Chiefs versus the 49ers on Monday Night at Candlestick Park. As the first half came to a close, the Chiefs were up 13 to 10. With a minute left in the half, they punted to the 49ers, but on the next play Emmitt Thomas intercepted a pass and ran it back to the San Francisco 17. The clock was down to 12 seconds as the Chiefs lined up for a field goal, but Dawson instead passed to OT Sid Smith, an eligible receiver, and on the last play of the half Stenerud kicked a field goal for real from 12 yards out to make the halftime score 16-10. The Chiefs eventually won 26-17.

And that, my friends, is the story that Sid Smith probably still talks about today.

#50. Brian Jozwiak, 1986. G. 7th pick.

In 1986 I was getting ready to graduate from college. The internet was still several years off and I didn't follow college football, so I could only read reviews of drafts.

All of the reviews - ALL of them - said that Jozwiak was a no-brainer pick. They said he should walk into the starting lineup and stay there for a decade.

Instead, he had three years in the league, and he made three starts during the time. Then he was gone, like a ghost in the night. The no-brainer pick was a whiff.

Looking back, it appears that he had a long-term hip problem that had gone undiagnosed. According to this book by a former West Virginia coach, https://books.google.com/books?id=b8...%20hip&f=false, Jozwiak's senior year was hampered by what they thought was a groin injury, but the coach said that it was the hip problem starting to manifest itself.

So Jozwiak wasn't really a bad draft choice. He was a good draft choice who had an undiagnosed medical issue that showed up at the worst time for the Chiefs.

I can't even find a picture of Brian as a Chief, so here's a great advertisement that spells his name two different ways in the same ad:

http://www.biggerfasterstronger.com/.../86_Nov_14.jpg

Damn looks like a brute. Its a shame he had hip problems and didn't work out I bet he beast in college though.

Jenkins was the result of a trade down. Dammit, Carl. :cuss:

Art Shell, who was the Chiefs offensive line coach at the time, convinced Carl he could turn Jenkins into an All Pro.

Shell was fired after the 1996 season.

Honestly, he may be my most disappointing 1st round pick, because he seemed to have a really high ceiling and a really high floor. If he was a beast, it would've helped Blackledge as well, so it was a double treat to draft him.

I wonder if his hip condition would've been caught in today's draft process.

He must of been our Tony Mandarich that's who I was thinking of when I read all that.

The Dallas Texans also drafted Don Meredith.

#49. Rod Walters, Guard, 1976. 14th pick.

You'll see Walters listed sometimes as one of the worst first-round guard picks ever. I remember nothing about him.

He was drafted in 1976, then missed the entire 1977 season with an injury. He was back in 1978 and 1979, then got cut mid-season in 1980. Overall, he was active for 52 games and got 7 starts. He had very short stints with the Lions and Dolphins in 1980, and then drifted away from the NFL.

He lost his job because as a first-round pick he couldn't replace Tom Condon and Bob Simmons at the guard spots. If you couldn't make the team in the late 1970s, you're a bona fide bust. Sorry, Rod.

I can't find any pictures of Rod in a game, but I think he's #76 in this 1976 team photo. These were the years that the team wasn't even organized enough to take a team photo lined up in numerical order.

http://sports.cbsimg.net/u/photos/fo...mg22314372.jpg

Apparently he participated in the 1970s afro trend when he was playing at Iowa.

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/images/...rodwalters.jpg

I wonder if he had what I have.

I dinged up my hip in wrestling practice my Junior year of college and when I went to the doctor, I was expecting to be told that I had a labral tear...well, I did get this news, but there was more. It was a labral tear brought on by hip dysplasia... I had hip dysplasia my entire life, and at that point had wrestled for 15 years and played baseball, football, track, etc. growing up and I never found out that I had that until my freaking Junior year of college. I should have had leg braces as a kid.

I have a scar the size and shape of a boomerang across my right hip from surgery. They performed a Ganz osteotomy to fix it... They cut my right pelvis into 3 pieces, reformed and restructured it, cut the ball off my femur, relocated it via screws and then reformed my entire hip. My hip has felt wonderful since, but I never wrestled competitively again.

I'm curious about it, but can't find any information other than 'hip problems'. Interestingly, his son was a behemoth offensive lineman as well, but the son had health issues including a heart problem. This article references Brian saying that he had the same thing, including an incident when he was in college that was apparently never diagnosed: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article...GZ02/150619663. It seems like the Jozwiak family pays a health price for their size.

and Bob Lily

How bout the tight end we drafted got cut in camp and then went to prison for murder?

Elmore was a second-rounder, though I'll nod that he would be the lowest-ranked second-rounder on that whole list.

#48. Jon Baldwin, WR, 2011. 26th pick.

How do we explain Jon Baldwin? He made the over the back catch, which is a pretty amazing highlight. And he ran at night, which is apparently cool. But he didn't do much else other than fight in the locker room.

To his credit, he managed to make the team for two years, and then had enough value to warrant a very low-level trade. But you want a 1st round pick to produce more than 10 starts and 607 receiving yards.

Does anyone remember the story with him? Why did he bust so hard? He was battling for the #2 WR spot with Steve Breaston and Keary Colbert and Dexter McCluster, and he eventually got the boot because Donnie Avery was signed. It's not like he was walking into a crowded wide receiver group.

In KC, one could possibly argue that the #2 WR got no looks because Matt Cassel was dropping to the ground if the first read was covered, but the fact that he did nothing in SF and no one else would sign him points toward an inability to be an effective WR. In fact, in 2012, he was the second leading wide receiver after Bowe unless you count McCluster as a wide receiver, and yet he only had 20 receptions. He got traded to San Francisco for a loaf of day-old bread, and recorded 3 receptions before being cut.

If your memory is fading, here's a picture of him possibly catching a ball or possibly dropping it. He tarnished the cherished #89 jersey by wearing it.

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/b...08/5664264.jpg

Here's a pre-draft report from 2011 that said that Baldwin was a potential locker room problem. I'll award Mayock full points for this.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2...tion-as-a-diva

Jon couldn't even have an h in his name John. That should have said something.

Too lazy to write out that extra letter, I guess.

He's an annoying bust because there wasn't any reason for him to bust. He never got hurt, and he had a clear runway to take a starting position. He had good combine numbers http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/...win?id=2495445 and great size. He just didn't translate it to productivity.

If someone remembers technical flaws, let me know. But I'm going to chalk this one up to a guy who just didn't want it very much.

Man, I remember the 2012 TC reports were GLOWING about him. Apparently he did some crazy good things at TC. Didn't translate to the regular season though and I have always wondered why.

Anyone remember why Baldwin and Jones fought with each other?

I don't think I ever knew why they fought. Given their reputations, though, I suspect it's not flattering to Baldwin. Did anyone ever hear the full story?

Junior Siavii?

Oh wait, he was 2nd round. Never mind

They fought over Junior Siavii? That's not what I would have expected.

I vaguely remember an issue with his stride and it causing issues getting off the line and making cuts.

It seems like a reasonable person would relearn their stride if it meant their career.

#47. Anthony Hancock, 1982. WR. #11 pick.

The Chiefs traded a third round pick and the #16 pick in the draft to move up and take speedster Anthony Hancock with the #11 pick. When the #9 pick went off the board, they saw two playmakers on the board that they liked, so they traded up, knowing that they were guaranteed to get one of them. The Raiders had the #10 pick and they took one of those two guys, a running back named Marcus Allen, so the Chiefs took Anthony Hancock.

They tried to use him, they really did. They kept him on the roster for four years. His rookie season was cut short by the player's strike, but he looked good on returns. He moved forward to get 7 starts in 1983, though his return game dropped off, never to return. He battled injuries in 1984, couldn't regain ground in 1985, and missed most of 1986 with a knee injury. He was cut in training camp in 1987.

In his Chiefs career, he gained a little more than 1,200 yards receiving and added about 1,500 more on returns.

Overall, he made some big plays over the years, but couldn't seem to get on the field, despite the pass-happy Chiefs offense that was in place at that time. Most agreed that he wasn't terrible, but ... he couldn't gain a starting spot. On his release, he mentioned that he couldn't get enough playing time to build consistency, citing competition from Carlos Carson, Stephone Paige, and Henry Marshall. It seems that Anthony wasn't terrible, but he just wasn't good enough to move up the depth chart.

He ran for state rep in 2012, but lost. Here's his Facebook page if you're interested.

https://www.facebook.com/HancockForState/

Interesting.

I worry that I may have ranked Hancock a little low. There's a whole mess of guys who are all pretty close, and I didn't account for the fact that he was competing for playing time against Carson, Paige, and Marshall.

However, as I look at it, Paige was an undrafted rookie who arrived a year after Hancock, and Paige played himself into a starting job. So maybe Hancock's in the right spot.

#46. Jeff Kinney, RB, 1972. 23rd pick.

It's early 1972. You're a Nebraska power back who just won the national championship, and you scored four touchdowns in the "Game of the Century" that pitted undefeated #1 Nebraska against undefeated #2 Oklahoma. Here are the scores of the 13 games Nebraska played that year.

W*34–7** Oregon*
W*35–7** Minnesota*
W*34–7** Texas A&M*
W*42–6** Utah State*
W*36–0** at*Missouri
W*55–0** Kansas
W*41–13** at*Oklahoma State
W*31–7** No. 9*Colorado
W*37–0** Iowa State
W*44–17** at*Kansas State
W*35–31** at*No. 2*Oklahoma
W*45–3** at*Hawaii*
W*38–6** vs.*No. 2*Alabama*

You've just been drafted by a powerhouse AFC team that lost the longest game in NFL history a couple of months ago, and is two years from a Super Bowl victory. The team has seven future Hall of Famers coming back for the 1972 season, and a strong, seasoned core of veterans. Your LT has ten straight pro bowls, your left guard has six straight pro bowls, and your center is about to start a string of four straight pro bowls.

What could possibly go wrong?

Man, you tell me. The Chiefs were in decline, first and foremost. They were above .500 for Kinney's first two seasons, then sank below sea level for a decade. Kinney couldn't wrest the starting job from Ed Podolak, and then a couple of years later after Podolak retired he couldn't beat out Woody Green. He was a Chief for slightly more than four seasons, amassing a little more than 800 yards at a 3.4 ypc, and adding a little more than 400 receiving.

This local newspaper article http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1053703.html says that he was a Hank Stram guy, and when Stram left after his second year the new coach didn't feel that he was a fit.

Kinney had one season in Buffalo blocking for O.J. Simpson after he left KC, but that was it.

I'm not sure what to think about Kinney. He was on perhaps the strongest college team ever, so maybe that was an easy job for a running back. But I'm not sure that any of his linemen even made the NFL, so it's not like he was on one of the Miami teams that was full of 1st round picks. One could argue that his performance in the Game of the Century inflated his draft stock, and it was a very good performance, but he also carried the ball a lot of times to get those 171 yards.

My theory is that Kinney looked better at Nebraska than he really was, and it showed up in the pros.

Here's a picture of the back of his football card since I can't find a photo that those sleazeballs at Getty Images haven't stolen. It says that he was traded, but everything else I've seen says that the Bills claimed him off of waivers.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....dL._SY445_.jpg

All those years of drafting bust DL and WRs and then in one draft KC hits home runs with picks for both positions (Jones and Hill) and then breaks the QB streak by moving up for Mahomes the next year.

Pretty fun little turn of events there.

Isn't that the year we gave up a first for Coach Dick Vermiel? So technically Junior Siavii was our first pick of that draft ? Correct if I'm wrong somebody.

I can't bag on Junior Siavii too much. He was beast for me playing first person in ESPN 2k5. Still better than any Madden game put out. That first person was awesome playing inside the helmet.

I dunno man, the guy is pretty cute... and I bet he was pretty "suave" when he spit game with both of them.

The weird world of the NFL.

(Jkjkjk)

Man... so what was it that made that Nebraska team so good? Did anyone from that team pan out in the NFL? Were they somewhat similar to the Alabama teams we've been seeing the past few years?

Nebraska routinely had kick ass offensive lines back in the day.

Yeah corn fed linemen were a staple

I was curious about that too, and I went back and looked at their roster. I hardly recognize any of the names in the NFL (bolded below), and I tend to have some feel for the NFL history from that era. John Dutton is the only guy that I would say became an NFL success. They must've had great coaching or a great system or something, because this was not an NFL-stacked roster at all.

8 Fuller, Bruce S 6-00 181 2So. Kansas City, Mo.
9 Coleman, Ron QB 6-03 195 2So. Ulysses, Neb.
10 Humm, Dave QB 6-02 186 2So. Las Vegas, Neb.
11 Manstedt, Steve DE 6-02 210 2So. Wahoo, Neb.
12 Brownson, Van QB 6-03 185 4Sr. Shenandoah, Iowa
13 Runty, Steve QB 5-11 186 2So. Ogallala, Neb.
14 Tagge, Jerry QB 6-02 215 4Sr. Green Bay, Wis.
15 Starkebaum, John MON 6-02 198 2So. Haxton, Colo.
16 McClelland, Tom S 6-01 193 4Sr. Turtle Creek, Pa.
17 Thornton, Bob RCB 6-00 187 3Jr. Lonita, Calif.
18 Anderson, Jim RCB 6-00 180 4Sr. Green Bay, Wis.
19 Borg, Randy RCB 6-00 189 2So. Alliance, Neb.
20 Rodgers, Johnny HB 5-10 171 3Jr. Omaha, Neb.
21 Westbrook, Don HB 5-11 185 2So. Cheyenne, Wyo.
22 Dixon, Gary HB 5-10 201 3Jr. Oxnard, Calif.
23 Schmit, Bob HB 6-01 192 2So. Boys Town, Neb.
24 Kosch, Bill S 6-00 176 4Sr. Columbus, Neb.
25 Mason, Dave MON 6-00 199 3Jr. Green Bay, Wis.
26 Hughes, Jeff HB 5-11 196 4Sr. Burlington, Vt.
27 Blahak, Joe LCB 5-10 184 3Jr. Columbus, Neb.
28 Goeller, Dave HB 5-11 188 2So. Pilger, Neb.
29 Hollstein, Gary LCB 6-00 175 4Sr. Rushville, Neb.
30 Moran, Jeff HB 6-01 191 2So. Huron, S.D.
31 Bell, John MG 6-00 203 3Jr. Anaheim, Calif.
32 Cox, Woody SE 5-09 167 4Sr. Grosse Point, Mich.
33 Peetz, Mike MON 6-01 200 2So. Sidney, Neb.
34 O'Connell, John S 6-02 192 2So. Sidney, Neb.
35 Kinney, Jeff HB 6-02 210 4Sr. McCook, Neb.
36 Butts, Randy HB 6-02 197 2So. Grand Island, Neb.
37 Johnson, Monte MG 6-06 232 3Jr. Bloomington, Minn.
38 O'Holleran, Mike HB 6-01 197 2So. Sidney, Neb.
39 Garson, Glen HB 6-00 184 2So. Fullerton, Calif.
40 Morell, Pat LB 6-02 215 4Sr. Kansas City, Kan.
41 Powell, Ralph FB 6-02 218 2So. Detroit, Mich.
42 Sloey, Bill LB 6-01 224 3Jr. Hawthorne, Calif.
43 Sanger, Rich LB 6-00 214 2So. Ovid, Colo.
44 Olds, Bill FB 6-01 215 3Jr. Kansas City, Kan.
45 Terrio, Bob LB 6-02 209 4Sr. Fullerton, Calif.
46 Damkroger, Maury FB 6-02 215 2So. Lincoln, Neb.
47 Carstens, Jim FB 6-00 218 3Jr. Glen Ellyn, Ill.
48 Hauge, Bruce LB 6-02 216 3Jr. Bloomington, Minn.
49 Strong, Jon LB 6-03 211 2So. Fremont, Neb.
50 Jamail, Doug C 5-11 205 3Jr. Bellaire, Texas
51 Branch, Jim LB 5-09 203 3Jr. Chicago, Ill.
52 Duffy, Joe LG 6-02 217 2So. Pittsburgh, Pa.
53 Kinsel, John C 6-02 222 3Jr. Council Bluffs, Iowa
54 Dumler, Doug C 6-03 237 3Jr. Melrose Park, Ill.
55 Janssen, Bill DT 6-03 228 3Jr. Grand Forks, N.D.
56 Pitts, John MON 6-01 196 3Jr. Flint, Mich.
57 Adkins, John DE 6-03 221 4Sr. Lynchburg, Va.
58 Hyland, John DE 6-02 202 3Jr. Lincoln, Neb.
59 Zanrosso, Dennis C 6-02 223 2So. Arleta, Calif.
61 Weber, Bruce LG 6-00 223 4Sr. Arlington Heights, Ill.
62 Beran, Mike RG 6-00 232 3Jr. Ord, Neb.
63 Henderson, Joe RG 6-02 225 2So. Red Cloud, Neb.
64 Johnson, Doug DE 6-05 218 3Jr. Omaha, Neb.
65 Wortman, Keith RG 6-03 238 4Sr. Whittier, Calif.
66 Pabis, Bob MG 5-10 205 4Sr. Monessen, Pa.
67 Anderson, Dan RG 6-01 225 2So. Fremont, Neb.
68 Robison, Tom DT 6-03 236 2So. Detroit, Mich.
69 McKinley, Kim DT 6-03 233 2So. Greeley, Colo.
70 Crenshaw, Marvin RT 6-05 223 2So. Toledo, Ohio (Woodward)
71 Johnson, Carl RT 6-04 252 4Sr. Phoenix, Ariz.
72 White, Daryl LT 6-04 238 2So. East Orange, N.J.
73 Lynch, Dan DT 6-05 250 2So. Yankton, S.D.
74 Righetti, Phil LT 6-02 235 3Jr. Phoenix, Ariz.
75 Jacobson, Larry DT 6-06 250 4Sr. Sioux Falls, S.D.
76 Wolfe, Bob LT 6-05 242 2So. Omaha, Neb.
77 Rupert, Dick LG 6-02 221 4Sr. Los Angeles, Calif.
78 Austin, Al RT 6-05 222 2So. Lincoln, Neb.
79 Glover, Rich MG 6-01 234 3Jr. Jersey City, N.J.
80 Lackovic, Tim SE 6-01 186 2So. Omaha, Neb.
81 Harper, Willie DE 6-03 207 3Jr. Toledo, Ohio (Scott)
82 Harvey, Phil TE 6-01 208 4Sr. Kansas City, Kan.
83 Wieser, Steve DE 6-00 196 2So. Columbus, Neb.
84 Didur, Dale SE 6-00 184 4Sr. Long Beach, Calif.
85 List, Jerry TE 6-01 218 3Jr. Bay City, Mich.
86 Longwell, Brent TE 6-04 222 2So. Homer, Neb.
87 Guibord, Greg DE 6-04 197 2So. Dearborn Heights, Mich.
88 Linder, Max SE 6-03 200 2So. Plattsmouth, Neb.
89 Anderson, Frosty SE 6-01 176 2So. Scottsbluff, Neb.
90 Dutton, John DT 6-07 241 2So. Rapid City, S.D.
92 Hegener, Stan LT 6-04 231 2So. Lincoln, Neb.
93 Doak, Mark NT 6-04 236 2So. Whittier, Calif.
94 Deyke, Tom DT 6-03 218 2So. Columbus, Neb.
96 Henrichs, Dennis LG 6-02 210 2So. Beatrice, Neb.
98 Hill, Jeff SE 6-02 190 2So. LaGrange, Ill.
99 Nelson, Chris TE 6-04 210 2So. Albion, Neb.
999 Peterson, John MG 4Sr. Alma, Neb.

#45. Harvey Williams, RB, 1991. 21st pick.

Harvey made only 7 starts during a 3-year career in Kansas City, gaining less than 900 yards and adding about 200 more receiving.

He went to Oakland and had a couple of productive seasons during a five-year span, but with an asterisk. One of those seasons was productive only because they kept handing him the danged ball since he was averaging less per carry than even Jerome Bettis. So in essence, he had one good season. So you can make an argument that he was an NFL-caliber player, but just not a high-end one.

The only defense for Harvey with the Chiefs is that he faced some stiff competition. When they drafted Harvey, the Chiefs had Christian Okoye on the roster, who was highly effective, and they'd gone down to the local jail and bailed out Barry Word the year before. As we all know, the way you prove yourself as a running back is to find the highest-round draft pick in your cell block and take him down, and that's what Barry did to Harvey.

So Harvey banged around low on the depth chart for a couple of years, and then suddenly Christian and Barry were both gone. It looked like Harvey's time had come, but Marty really likes veterans. He signed Marcus Allen and gave Kimble Anders more opportunities, and Harvey's time had come and gone.

My bottom line is that Harvey just wasn't that good. He couldn't beat out Okoye and Word, and then no young player had a chance against Marcus Allen on a Marty team.

Anyone else remember why Harvey busted?

The behind the back catch didn't even count. There was a flag on the play

In a way, that's kind of nice because it really stands as emblematic of his career.

#44. Sylvester Morris, WR, 2000. #21 pick.

Poor Sylvester. He tried to capture the Tweety Bird of NFL success, but he just got bonked in the knee by an old lady with a rolling pin.

He played only one season in the NFL, but there's a reason he's not lower on this list. In that one season, he had 14 starts. He'd won the job, and he was doing pretty well for a rookie wide receiver. He had 48 receptions for almost 700 yards, and he'd had the breakout 3 touchdown game against the Chargers for over 100 yards, and he had another 100 yard game against the Raiders.

He was a starting caliber NFL wide receiver who had a great upside. But his legs. His poor, poor legs. He was like Eddie Murphy at the beginning of Trading Places. I feel bad ranking him this low because I think he had a lot of potential, but he had the legs of a flamingo and the NFL is all about survival of the fittest.

Here are the news updates on Sylvester Morris after that promising rookie season of 2000. Take careful notes of the dates. This guy should have been a holdout in every training camp.

Thu, 21 Jun 2001 06:07:15 -0700

The Kansas City Star reports Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris injured his right knee during drills. Morris was scheduled to have a MRI yesterday. The extent of the injury is not known at the time.

Thu, 21 Jun 2001 13:19:02 -0700

SportsLine.com's Len Pasquarelli reports the initial indication is that Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris suffered major damage to his right knee yesterday. There's a chance he could miss the entire 2001 season. It is believed that he tore his ACL and possibly also damaged his PCL. A torn ACL alone would be enough to keep him out for the upcoming year. Dr. James Andrews is expected to examine Morris. Chiefs officials inquired about WR Derrick Mayes, who was cut earlier this year by the Seahawks, earlier this week but have yet to schedule a meeting with him.

Fri, 09 Nov 2001 20:37:04 -0800

The Kansas City Star reports Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris (knee) will probably miss all of the 2001 season. The Chiefs have until Tuesday to let Morris, their injured wide receiver, practice and still be eligible to play this season. "My thought right now would be to shut him down," coach Dick Vermeil said. "He has too far to go."

Fri, 03 May 2002 09:43:11 -0700

According to the Kansas City Star, Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris (knee) isn't expected to participate in this weekend's minicamp.

Sat, 03 Aug 2002 20:03:44 -0700

KcChiefs.com reports WR Sylvester Morris saw his first live action since pre-season 2001 during Friday night's practice with the Vikings. He made a spectacular catch in heavy traffic. He did have to sit out Saturday's morning practice with soreness in his knee.

Tue, 06 Aug 2002 09:32:13 -0700

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil said WR Sylvester Morris (knee) did some work during Tuesday morning's practice but the team limited his reps. Morris has had some swelling in his knee.

Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:20:19 -0700

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil said WR Sylvester Morris (knee) looked better during Tuesday morning's practice. However, he also added that Morris, at times, still does not look 100 percent.

Tue, 20 Aug 2002 13:39:18 -0700

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil said WR Sylvester Morris (knee) is still bothered by his previously injured leg. He was given the day off of practice.

Sun, 01 Sep 2002 14:03:56 -0700

KcChiefs.com reports the Kansas City Chiefs have placed WR Sylvester Morris (knee) on IR.

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 15:17:23 -0700

Adam Teicher, of the Kansas City Star, reports Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris (hip) missed practice Monday, July 21, due to a hip injury. He was expected to undergo an MRI during the afternoon to determine the status of his injury. "He's due for some good luck and hopefully the MRI will show that it's a strain and he will be back with us real soon," head coach Dick Vermeil said.

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 21:53:44 -0700

Updating previous reports, the Associated Press says that Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris (hip) will miss the rest of training camp with torn tissue in the back of his hip. According to head coach Dick Vermeil, Morris will miss at least six weeks. 'It's the type of injury that's going to take quite a while to heal,'' Vermeil said. ''They don't think it's an injury that will need an operation or anything like that, but he's going to miss a lot of football. Basically, he misses training camp and maybe a little more."

Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:11:31 -0700

The Kansas City Star reports Kansas City Chiefs WR Sylvester Morris (hip) remained out of action during practice Saturday, July 26.

Tue, 26 Aug 2003 14:33:43 -0700

Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson announced the team has placed WR Sylvester Morris on injured reserve. Morris will miss the entire 2003 season.

Wed, 15 Oct 2003 23:58:39 -0700

Adam Teicher, of the Kansas City Star, reports the Kansas City Chiefs waived WR Sylvester Morris (hip) off injured reserve.

Thu, 26 Feb 2004 13:59:43 -0800

Updating a previous report, PewterReport.com reports the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed free agent WR Sylvester Morris (Chiefs) to a contract. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 09:46:55 -0700

Roy Cummings, of the Tampa Tribune, reports Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Sylvester Morris (leg) suffered a leg injury during practice Tuesday, June 22. Morris was carted off the field and appeared to be favoring his right knee at the time.

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 21:45:37 -0700

Updating a previous report, Buccaneers.com reports Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Sylvester Morris (knee) could be lost for the season after suffering a right knee injury during workouts Tuesday, June 22. The injury happened on what head coach Jon Gruden called "a freak play" in which the wide receiver was untouched while running a pass route across the middle of the field. Morris sat out two years (2001-2002) while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering injuries on the same knee. "He wasn't hit and he really wasn't in an congested area," Gruden said. "He just planted and buckled his leg somehow, someway. It appears to be serious, but I don't have the final report yet. Gruden also added "It could threaten his season, when you talk about a serious knee injury. It could derail his comeback efforts," he said. Morris sat out all of 2003 with a hip injury.

Wed, 23 Jun 2004 15:51:35 -0700

Updating previous reports, PewterReport.com reports Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Sylvester Morris (knee) will miss the 2004 season with a torn ACL.

If you don't remember Sylvester, here are pictures of him in 2000 and then in 2004.

http://www.turbodaddy.net/badschotz/...play_image.jpghttp://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/25/53/1738124763-tp4.png

I remember Harvey Williams as tall and lanky and had a really long neck like those girls that put rings around their neck to make them longer. I don't think his body was built to be a steadfast running back in the NFL. I remember a Deberg​ playaction that faked out the cameras and thought he had the ball but it went for a Stephone Paige Touchdown. That play was common with our runningbacks.

#43. Percy Snow, ILB, 1990. #13 pick.

If we divide our first-round picks into quadrants, Percy rounds out the bottom quartile of Chiefs first-rounders. He's basically the linebacker version of Sylvester Morris, but a little further down the leg.

We all know the story. Good first season, then rides his motor scooter on campus, wipes out, and the ankle is gone. Gone. Campus cleaning crews vacuumed it up. He missed his entire second season, then came back as a shell of himself in his third year. Tracy Simien took his job and never looked back. Percy got cut, stopped for a cup of coffee with the Bears, and then rode off into the night.

He was a very linebacker-looking guy when you put a uniform on him. It's too bad that he didn't follow Neil Smith and Derrick Thomas as the third great defender. Those triplets could have accomplished great things.

In 2015, the New York Times did a "where are they now" of the first round of 1990 25 years later. It's a really interesting article, so check it out: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...lass-1990.html

It sounds like Percy wasn't very happy with Marty when he left, and his life hasn't gone as planned. He had total career earnings of $2 million, but declared bankruptcy in 1999 and got kicked out of a house in 2010. However, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013, so he's got that going for him. He was selected over Derrick Thomas, who had to wait until 2014 to get in: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...l-of-Fame.html

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015...6-jumbo-v2.jpg

#42. Paul Palmer, RB, 1987.

With the #42 pick, we move from the bottom quartile of busts to the third quartile of mild to moderate disappointments. Paul Palmer certainly falls into that group.

To a minor extent, Paul is a victim of circumstance. He was taken with the 19th pick, and then on the 35th pick the Chiefs selected the Nigerian Nightmare, who was way more scary. I'm not sure what Paul's 40 time was, but it couldn't have been that much faster than Okoye's.

Even so, a first-round pick should beat out a second-round pick, and that didn't happen. Palmer wasn't a complete bust when he was playing. He only got about 600 yards rushing in two seasons, but he added another 600 in receptions and he brought two kickoffs back for touchdowns his rookie year. If not for an unfortunate bus incident described below, he probably would have lasted another year or two.

The story of his departure from the team is rather interesting, as reported here. Whether he was joking or not, coaches tend to not like a player tanking to get the coach fired. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/2...TO-FUMBLE.html

Kansas City Chiefs running back Paul Palmer was suspended by Coach Frank Gansz because he threatened to purposely fumble a few balls during a game in order to embarrass his coaching staff, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday.

Palmer was suspended after making a comment Saturday about "dropping a few balls on the carpet" Sunday in Kansas City's game against Pittsburgh, the Globe said, quoting unnamed sources.The comment was made by Palmer on a Chiefs team bus in Pittsburgh after other players were informed by C.T. Hewgley, the Chiefs' strength and weight coach, that they were being fined for being late to a team meeting earlier in the morning, the Globe said.

Although Palmer was not among those fined for being late, he made the comment after other players began criticizing both the fines and the coaching staff in general, the Globe said. Palmer's comment about fumbling, which he described as a way of ensuring that the team's coaching staff would be fired next season, was relayed by Hewgley to Gansz, the newspaper said.

Gansz, in suspending Palmer for the maximum of four games as allowed by NFL rules, did not state his reason publicly other than to describe it as being for conduct detrimental to the team. Kansas City lost the game to Pittsburgh, 16-10.

Palmer reportedly said afterward he was only joking when making the comment about fumbling, the Globe said.

He was cut in the offseason, then signed with Dallas, where he started 8 games behind a rookie Troy Aikman during the Cowboys' 1-15 year. Later that season, he was cut and briefly appeared in uniform for the Lions before moving on to his next career.

Here's a photo of Paul. He was less intimidating to tackle than Okoye, seen at right.

http://www.stickerpoints.com/uploadI...hiefs--309.jpghttp://assets.sbnation.com/assets/12...oye_medium.jpg

#41. Todd Blackledge, QB, 1983. #7 pick.

There's probably no need to bring up that Dolphins player. We all know that story. But did you know that he's the last quarterback drafted by the Chiefs who started a winning game for them? Let's hope that streak gets broken soon.

But back to Blackledge. From what I remember, it wasn't a shocker that he got picked. He was widely viewed as a first-round talent. No one batted an eye in 1983 when he was taken. I remember that Marino was also highly viewed, and the only difference really was that Marino had had an injury (shoulder?) that raised a question mark.

The Chiefs kept trying to work Blackledge into the lineup, but he simply couldn't beat out Bill Kenney. Blackledge was with the team for five years and in three of those years he had between 6 and 8 starts. Every year, Kenney outplayed him if you look at the stats. So he had his chance, but he couldn't get a firm grip on the starting job. When you're a top ten pick, that's not good.

He wound up starting 24 games for the Chiefs amassing about 4,500 yards passing with 26 TDs and 32 interceptions. He got minor action for a couple of years in Pittsburgh, but then had to go see the Turk. Opportunity lost.

Dammit Carl :cuss:


The Todd Blackledge curse was born but now it is broken with Patrick Mahomes II

#40. Willie Scott, TE, 1981. 14th pick.

I remember the 1981 draft as being odd, because they drafted two tight ends with the first three picks. Willie was the first rounder, and I kind of hate to rank him this low, but I need to.

He was with the team for five seasons, and was the starter for two. He got spot starts every season, so in total he started 40 games. I don't remember much about Willie, but presume he was more about blocking than receiving, because he totaled 75 catches for KC for slightly less than 700 yards.

He was replaced in the lineup by Walt Arnold, so I guess that tells us that he didn't exactly have a stranglehold on the position. He then went to New England as a backup for a couple of years.

The picture below may or may not be of Willie Scott during his college days. I'm not sure. I can't find a picture of him as a Chief, because of a much more famous Willie Scott.

http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/3a8ebd12...6bdafac0e4.jpg

The more famous Willie Scott is, of course, the woman ("Wilhelmina Scott") in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Kate Capshaw's character is from Missouri, so it's possibly that her character is loosely based on the life our former tight end.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ShortRound.jpg

I'd never thought about it before, but Bill Kenney, a 12th round draft choice of the Dolphins before coming to KC, killed two Chiefs first-round quarterbacks. He chased Steve Fuller to the bench, knocking him out of a starting spot, and then he fought Todd Blackledge off from that starting spot a couple of years later.

Maybe it's the curse of Bill Kenney more than the curse of Carl.

I'm kinda fond of Dammit Carl :cuss:


Any other way of thinking is going take extra therapy sessions and lots more booze and drug paraphernalia to comprehend and cope.

#39, Elmo Wright, WR, 1971. 16th pick.

He gets some bonus points for inventing the modern touchdown celebration, but that doesn't buy much given the terrible things it spawned. And did you know that he only scored 7 touchdowns in the NFL? That high-step wasn't seen very often, but you can see it at the 4:00 minute mark here, as well as the 5:30 mark and the 10:00 mark. (The 10:00 one is the prettiest.) At 26:40, you can see an ultra-rare Elmo dance on a non-touchdown, which I didn't think existed. (Awesome video of the 1971 season, by the way. Definitely worth watching.)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s90c_qt66qU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Anyway, I think that Elmo was a starter for four seasons, but he was the #2 receiver, and I think he was hurt and missed most of his second year. I think perhaps injuries ended his career after his fourth year, but I'm not sure. In the end, he produced a little more than 1,000 yards receiving and almost 100 rushing. It was a career that ended too soon.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...edskins450.jpg

Here ya go...

That could be him. Let me take a closer look.

#38, Pete Beathard, QB, 1964. #2 pick.

With the #2 pick in the draft, the Chiefs selected a quarterback. A quarterback!

If you know your history, you might question this, because Len Dawson had been a starter for two years when this pick was made. But - get this - Hank Stram said that he "liked to stockpile quarterbacks".

I'll stop for a moment and let you savor a time when Chiefs management liked to stockpile quarterbacks.

Anyway, it was a calculated risk. Dawson had started for two years, with a fantastic year in 1962 and a good year (for the era) in 1963. However, he'd done nothing for five years before that with Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and in an era where players didn't play forever, he was going to be 29 years old headed into the season. Beathard was highly rated, so the Chiefs pulled the trigger.

As it turns out, it was a bad bet. Dawson continued his growth trajectory into a Hall of Fame career, and actually played another 11 seasons. For 3+ seasons Beathard languished on the bench, getting only 2 starts before being traded to Houston in 1967. He played for Houston (3 seasons as a mediocre starter), the Cardinals, and the Rams before actually returning to KC as a backup for the 1969 season.

Beathard ended his Chiefs career with about 1,600 yards passing and his 10-year NFL career with a little over 8,000. He threw 43 TDs and 84 Ints, so no one ever confused him with an all-pro.

So his Chiefs career was a bust and he wasn't an effective quarterback elsewhere in the league. Why isn't he rated at the bottom of the list?

Well, my friends, this is a lesson in drafting. The Chiefs took a highly rated quarterback, sat him on the bench for three years, and were then able to trade him. In return, they got 1st round draft pick in 1968 (#22 pick), a defensive end (Ernie Ladd), and a backup quarterback (Jacky Lee). Quarterbacks have trade value based on reputation.

Overall, he wasn't a big gain, and perhaps we lost value dropping from the #2 pick to the #22 pick. But overall, we got a backup QB for several years, a defensive end, and another pick who turned out to be a 7-year backup for the Chiefs. Not ideal, but not bad.

Here's a rare view of Beathard in action for the Chiefs:

http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/20...,%20Oilers.jpg

#37. George Daney, G, 1968. 22nd pick.

Since we traded Pete Beathard for a first-round pick you may be wondering who we took with that pick. It was this fellow, Mr. George Daney.

George is another classic story of a guy getting screwed over in the draft. The Chiefs already had Ed Budde, of course, and were looking to upgrade the RG spot. With the 22nd pick, they selected RG George Daney, but they had two first-round picks and with the #19 pick they selected RG Mo Moorman. They must have really wanted a guard.

Moorman won the starting job and held it for six years before retiring, while Daney was the backup. Daney finally got to start in his seventh year, and then retired after that. The records don't show exactly how many starts he had, but I suspect it was in the 25 to 30 range. He was apparently quite active on special teams, though.

He was also one of the team clowns. You should read this great article about Jim Tyrer's murder-suicide https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...=.a5f1fba52009, but it mentions the following about Daney:

On the excellent Chief teams of the late '60s and early '70s, no two players seemed more dissimilar than celebrated offensive tackle Jim Tyrer and backup guard George Daney. Tyrer seemed a tower of strength, always forward-thinking and sensible; Daney was seen as a flake, if not quite a goof-off, a man who joined center Jack Rudnay in countless pranks and seemingly gave no thought to life after football. In tandem, Daney and Rudney were known as Heckle and Jeckle, after the cartoon birds.

Once, to relieve the boredom of yet another film, Rudnay and Daney unscrewed all the outlets within 100 yards of the projector, snipped all the wiring and then replaced the outlets. Coach Hank Stram must have considered hiring an electrician as an assistant coach. There was a method to this seeming madness, Daney insists. Acting looney often was a way to avoid becoming looney.

Although none of his teammates sensed it while he was playing, Daney fully realized the limits of pro football, that it was an interlude in his life, to be used as a springboard toward financial freedom rather than as a way to avoid growing up.

Like most players, Daney was frustrated at the uncertainty, callousness and lack of imagination in the NFL during his seven years with the Chiefs. Unlike most players, he mustered the courage to quit long before being ordered. In early July of 1975, Daney charged into the Chief offices to announce his retirement. Nobody was there to acknowledge it.

"The office was about a mile from the house," he said. "I'd gone that far, I had to tell someone. So I told the only person there -- the trainer. I told him to tell the front office. Then I went on vacation. When I got back, I found out they traded me to Houston, that they were trying to salvage something.

"I could have gone two more years, maybe five. But where would it have gotten me? Where's the breaking-off point? Jim was at a much higher level (of income) than me. But he still had to start from the bottom some time. That's not a pessimistic view. It's realistic. You get caught in an ego and financial trap. And the longer you play the more you get trapped.

"I told Jim I was twice as smart as he was (both retired in '75), because it took me seven years to learn what it took him 14 to learn. We were both unemployed -- only I was 28 and he was 36."

"I used to wish George had a bigger ego," said Linda, "that he was more like Jim, that he'd play a few more years. Thank God he never listened to me."

So in summary, he's a different type of player than we've seen so far on the list. He didn't get a lot of starts, but he was with the team for a long time. Unfortunately, he also had an odd young death, dying at age 43 in his garage in what was believed to be an accident.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-...ard-found-dead

He looks like someone I recognize, but I can't place who:

http://www.wash-greenesportshall.org...GE%20DANEY.jpg

Gosh dang that's tragic I didn't know this story of Jim Tyrer's. These are things NFL should be warning players about and possible prevent what happened with Belcher.

I'm loving these. Thanks Rain Man!

Awesome thread!

In b4 poll.

That was a pretty amazing article, wasn't it? I knew what had happened, but didn't know much about the back story.

What was particularly interesting to me was the realization that a lot of these older players didn't make a ton of money, so they had to go out and find jobs in their 20s or 30s or 40s, and it wasn't just to keep busy. They really needed the income.

Yes great article much insight to what goes through players mind it's not as glamorous at it may seem. I'll probably read it a few times over for better understanding of what it was like.

I know the power outlet prank happened under Hank Stram but id like to think if it happened during Gunther Cunningham lmfao he would come unglued and cus them up and down.

#36, Greg Hill, RB, 1994. 25th pick.

You can't tell the story of Greg Hill without telling the story of Marcus Allen, because Marcus career-blocked Greg for his whole career. Marty liked veterans, we all know that, and Allen arrived a year before Hill, in 1993.

So during Hill's four years in KC, let's compare statistics.

Starts:

Hill 19
Allen 43

Rushing Attempts:

Hill 588
Allen 726

Rushing Yards:

Hill 2436
Allen 2934

YPC:

Hill 4.1
Allen 4.0

Rushing TDs:

Hill 6
Allen 32

Receptions:

Hill 38
Allen 107

Receiving Yards

Hill 323
Allen 915

Yards per Reception

Hill 8.5
Allen 8.6

Receiving TDs:

Hill 1
Allen 0

Total Yards From Scrimmage:

Hill 2,759
Allen 3,849

Fumbles:

Hill 5 (1 per 125 touches)
Allen 11 (1 per 75 touches)

So let's review. Marcus Allen got the starts, and Marcus Allen got the touchdowns. Hill was slightly more productive (probably equivalent overall if you take Allen's short-yardage TDs into account), did a lot of heavy lifting between the 20s, and was notably more reliable on ball protection.

Was Hill really a disappointment, or would he have been a good pick if he'd been handed the ball? Objectively, he played Marcus Allen to a draw, and Allen is highly regarded. I guess we'll never know what Hill could have been, but the bottom line is that he was with the team for four years, got 19 starts, and he produced about 2,800 yards in offense.

He left KC and went to the Rams. He started to set the place on fire with 240 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first two games, and then he broke his leg and was lost for the year. He came back again in Detroit with 8 pedestrian starts, and presumably then retired to try to get his girlfriend back from Marty.

Here's Greg cheering an opportunity to carry the ball.

http://kckingdom.com/wp-content/uplo...hiefs-hill.jpg

If it happened under Herm, he wouldn't have noticed.

"Here's Hill cheering for an opportunity to carry the ball!"

ROFL

Holy cow that's funny.

I remember Hill fairly well (I was around 10 years old when we drafted him). I didn't realize that Hill had some better stats on some categories and wouldn't have guessed it. I remember always feeling pessimistic about Hill when he'd touch the ball while being super pumped every time Allen racked up a carry...those TD's can really distort a young kid's perceptions of these types of things.

If I am remembering correctly Marty would "start" Hill in Hill's second year by putting him in for the first offensive play and then put Allen into the line up. One of the bigger dick moves ever.