Best draft picks by Round - Round 1

[Rain Man]

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

[Rain Man]

#13. Marcus Peters, CB, 2015. 18th pick.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only two Chiefs have made the pro bowl in their first two seasons and made an all-pro list in that time. The first was Derrick Thomas and the second was Marcus Peters. That's good company. (In full disclosure, E.J. Holub and Jim Marsalis did it in the AFL, though an AFL all-pro involved less competition.)

Now let's go to the rest of the league. Here's a list of every cornerback since the AFL-NFL merger who made the pro bowl in both of his first two seasons:

Mike Haynes (Hall of Fame)
Ronnie Lott (Hall of Fame)
Lemar Parrish (8-time pro bowler)
Marcus Peters (current player)
Patrick Peterson (current player, 6 pro bowls to date)
Everson Walls (4-time pro bowler and absolutely should be in the Hall of Fame)
Charles Woodson (9-time pro bowler)

Now I want you to go outside. Step out into your yard and look up. See that blue thing up there? That's the limit for Marcus Peters. Not bad for a guy with this draft profile summary on NFL.com: http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/...ers?id=2552488


BOTTOM LINE Talented cover cornerback with size, ball skills and the confidence NFL teams are looking for, but lacks the necessary discipline and maturity on the field and in practice. Peters has raw talent, but is far from a polished cornerback, and that is without taking the character concerns into consideration.

And we got an informative comment from an NFL scout in his draft profile. I'm guessing this guy scouts for the Rams or Lions or some such team:

SOURCES TELL US "I wouldn't take him inside the first two rounds. He's good, but he's not that good that I would be willing to deal with his emotional issues." -- NFC personnel director


Going into the draft, Marcus was seen as a first-round talent, but there were a few concerns about his personality. A few. The New York Post summarized it thusly: http://nypost.com/2015/04/18/checker...cb-into-draft/

As well as failing a drug test in 2011, Peters was suspended in 2013 for academic problems, banned from working out by Washington coaches in the 2014 offseason, suspended for a game last year for head-butting an opponent and throwing a sideline tantrum, suspended again for being late to team meetings and finally kicked off the team by coach Chris Petersen after missing a practice.

That statement is missing the bigger issue that was covered elsewhere in the article:


Despite first-round talent, Peters is thought to have been removed entirely from some draft boards already because of reports that, among his many transgressions, Peters choked a Huskies assistant coach last season before being kicked off the team in November.

Peters denied the choking allegation at the scouting combine in February, telling reporters it was “false.” But power-conference programs don’t usually expel one of the top players in the country for minor offenses.

On top of that, he went to the Combine and ran a 4.53, which placed him in the bottom half of defensive backs. So he began dropping faster than a William Bartee interception attempt.

The Chiefs took him at #18, and the slow character risk won the starting job at LCB in training camp. Then he came out in Week 1 and made an interception on his first play in the NFL. His very first play.

And.

Kept.

Going.

He's finished two seasons now, and has 14 interceptions. Here's a list of every NFL player since the pass rule changes in 1977 who has recorded 14 or more interceptions during his first two NFL season:

Eric Harris, 1980 - 14 interceptions for the Chiefs
Everson Walls, 1981 - 18 interceptions, and he should be in the Hall of Fame
Eugene Daniel, 1984 - 14 interceptions
Marcus Peters, 2015 - 14 interceptions for the Chiefs

Take note that his feat had not been accomplished in more than 30 years, and that he is the first player whose name doesn't start with E to accomplish the feat.

So now let's look forward. I'll consider only cornerbacks who were drafted between 1977 and 2007, and who made at least two pro bowls in their career. That list is also short:

Raymond Clayborn
Darrelle Revis
Ty Law
Dale Carter
Antonio Cromartie
Jerry Gray
Antoine Winfield
Hanford Dixon
Gill Byrd
Deltha O'Neal (This is really more about Matt Cassel than anything.)

They average 11 years in the league, 10 years starting, 4 pro bowls, and 1 all-pro selection. With two pro bowls and an all-pro already in his quiver, Marcus is running way faster than that pace, but even if you assume that he slows down to average, he would move up into the top ten all time for the Chiefs' first-round choices. By placing him 13th, I'm being conservative.

In the end, we know that he's only two years into his career and a lot can happen going forward, but it's safe to say that he's on a path for greatness if he keeps up his current pace. And he will. Oh, yes. He will.

Here's a picture of him winning the game against the Panthers last year, in case you forgot how great he is.

[Rasputin]

Swag, that is one thing Marcus Peters brings to the Kansas City Chiefs defense.

[rico]

Man...I hope we lock Peters up as a Chief. Sometimes I wonder if he likes it in KC.

[Rain Man]

#12. John Alt, LT, 1984. 21st pick.

Here's the main thing you need to know about John Alt: he had the highest strength score of any lineman in Tecmo Bowl: https://tecmobowlers.com/2017/07/11/...-man/#_ftnref1



A group of Tecmo hackers at the above site programmed an offensive line of 5 John Alts against an all-Derrick Thomas defensive line, and the quarterback had ten seconds in the pocket. John Alt was a top-notch left tackle.



It wasn't all roses with John, though. The Chiefs drafted him in 1984, and he had the initial back problems that would plague him for his entire career. He couldn't stay on the field, starting only 7 games in his first two years. In 1986, he finally underwent back surgery and didn't start a single game. I remember being a college kid at this time and thinking, "Man, that guy was a bust."

He started coming back in 1987, starting nine games, and then he finally got healthy. Boom. He became a top-notch starter for the next nine seasons. Over his 13 years, he started 149 games and made two pro bowls, in 1992 and 1993.

In 1994, he had a neck injury that cost him some playing time, and it was believed to be a factor in Joe Montana's retirement. Without Alt at LT, Montana took a beating and called it quits. Alt came back the for two more seasons, but two bulging disks in his back finally made him ride off into the sunset as training camp was about to start in 1997.

But it was a good ride. Here's what Derrick Thomas said upon hearing about John's retirement:

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/206671325/

. "In eight seasons I've faced almost every tackle in the National Football League, and I've beaten them all," eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Thomas said. "But in eight years of practice and scrimmage, I can only remember beating John Alt once


Lest you think that John was just a big, strong guy...well, he was. He was a giant. And he wore enormous shoulder pads that made him look even more intimidating. But he had the feet of a ballerina. You may ask why he only made two pro bowls in 13 years if he was so good, and there's a simple explanation. Remember how we discussed earlier that Bill Maas screwed Dan Marino's sister? Well, Dan Marino screwed John Alt, though that was in a professional way rather than personal. During most of John's career, Marino was in Miami, and you couldn't sack Marino. He had such a quick release that a 55-gallon drum of oil could protect him, and that's what happened. Miami LT Richmond Webb got credit for Marino's quick release, screwing John Alt out of many well-deserved pro bowl spots. Without Marino in Miami, John Alt is probably way higher on this list.

But hey, #12 is still a really good spot. Let's depart this post with a look at just how intimidating John Alt was on the field. Dang, that guy was big.

[RippedmyFlesh]

Listed at 6'8 298 profootballreference.com

[patteeu]

I'm starting to think I undervalued my #11 guess.

[Rasputin]

[penbrook]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

#13. Marcus Peters, CB, 2015. 18th pick.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only two Chiefs have made the pro bowl in their first two seasons and made an all-pro list in that time. The first was Derrick Thomas and the second was Marcus Peters. That's good company. (In full disclosure, E.J. Holub and Jim Marsalis did it in the AFL, though an AFL all-pro involved less competition.)

Now let's go to the rest of the league. Here's a list of every cornerback since the AFL-NFL merger who made the pro bowl in both of his first two seasons:

Mike Haynes (Hall of Fame)
Ronnie Lott (Hall of Fame)
Lemar Parrish (8-time pro bowler)
Marcus Peters (current player)
Patrick Peterson (current player, 6 pro bowls to date)
Everson Walls (4-time pro bowler and absolutely should be in the Hall of Fame)
Charles Woodson (9-time pro bowler)

Now I want you to go outside. Step out into your yard and look up. See that blue thing up there? That's the limit for Marcus Peters. Not bad for a guy with this draft profile summary on NFL.com: http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/...ers?id=2552488


BOTTOM LINE Talented cover cornerback with size, ball skills and the confidence NFL teams are looking for, but lacks the necessary discipline and maturity on the field and in practice. Peters has raw talent, but is far from a polished cornerback, and that is without taking the character concerns into consideration.

And we got an informative comment from an NFL scout in his draft profile. I'm guessing this guy scouts for the Rams or Lions or some such team:

SOURCES TELL US "I wouldn't take him inside the first two rounds. He's good, but he's not that good that I would be willing to deal with his emotional issues." -- NFC personnel director


Going into the draft, Marcus was seen as a first-round talent, but there were a few concerns about his personality. A few. The New York Post summarized it thusly: http://nypost.com/2015/04/18/checker...cb-into-draft/

As well as failing a drug test in 2011, Peters was suspended in 2013 for academic problems, banned from working out by Washington coaches in the 2014 offseason, suspended for a game last year for head-butting an opponent and throwing a sideline tantrum, suspended again for being late to team meetings and finally kicked off the team by coach Chris Petersen after missing a practice.

That statement is missing the bigger issue that was covered elsewhere in the article:


Despite first-round talent, Peters is thought to have been removed entirely from some draft boards already because of reports that, among his many transgressions, Peters choked a Huskies assistant coach last season before being kicked off the team in November.

Peters denied the choking allegation at the scouting combine in February, telling reporters it was “false.” But power-conference programs don’t usually expel one of the top players in the country for minor offenses.

On top of that, he went to the Combine and ran a 4.53, which placed him in the bottom half of defensive backs. So he began dropping faster than a William Bartee interception attempt.

The Chiefs took him at #18, and the slow character risk won the starting job at LCB in training camp. Then he came out in Week 1 and made an interception on his first play in the NFL. His very first play.

And.

Kept.

Going.

He's finished two seasons now, and has 14 interceptions. Here's a list of every NFL player since the pass rule changes in 1977 who has recorded 14 or more interceptions during his first two NFL season:

Eric Harris, 1980 - 14 interceptions for the Chiefs
Everson Walls, 1981 - 18 interceptions, and he should be in the Hall of Fame
Eugene Daniel, 1984 - 14 interceptions
Marcus Peters, 2015 - 14 interceptions for the Chiefs

Take note that his feat had not been accomplished in more than 30 years, and that he is the first player whose name doesn't start with E to accomplish the feat.

So now let's look forward. I'll consider only cornerbacks who were drafted between 1977 and 2007, and who made at least two pro bowls in their career. That list is also short:

Raymond Clayborn
Darrelle Revis
Ty Law
Dale Carter
Antonio Cromartie
Jerry Gray
Antoine Winfield
Hanford Dixon
Gill Byrd
Deltha O'Neal (This is really more about Matt Cassel than anything.)

They average 11 years in the league, 10 years starting, 4 pro bowls, and 1 all-pro selection. With two pro bowls and an all-pro already in his quiver, Marcus is running way faster than that pace, but even if you assume that he slows down to average, he would move up into the top ten all time for the Chiefs' first-round choices. By placing him 13th, I'm being conservative.

In the end, we know that he's only two years into his career and a lot can happen going forward, but it's safe to say that he's on a path for greatness if he keeps up his current pace. And he will. Oh, yes. He will.

Here's a picture of him winning the game against the Panthers last year, in case you forgot how great he is.

Tyreek Hill made the pro bowl and won all pro his first year

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I'm starting to think I undervalued my #11 guess.

I'll be curious about the opinions on #8 through #11. I've got four guys that could defensibly be placed in any order, and maybe a fifth as well. I'm really torn.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by penbrook

Tyreek Hill made the pro bowl and won all pro his first year

That's an impressive feat. Let's hope we can add him to the club next year with Derrick and Marcus. Or maybe even start an all-new club of two pro bowls and two all-pros in the first two years.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

That's an impressive feat. Let's hope we can add him to the club next year with Derrick and Marcus. Or maybe even start an all-new club of two pro bowls and two all-pros in the first two years.

And Super Bowl MVP.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'll be curious about the opinions on #8 through #11. I've got four guys that could defensibly be placed in any order, and maybe a fifth as well. I'm really torn.

I'm excited to see the results. In the end, when we look at your final decision, I'm sure we'll all agree that it was the right order.

[stumppy]

Since it's a Sunday do you think we could have #12 a little early ? Please.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I'm excited to see the results. In the end, when we look at your final decision, I'm sure we'll all agree that it was the right order.

I'll post the whole list in order when I'm done, and I'll solicit edits to the list. The toughest calls to me are comparing guys who were great for a short amount of time to guys who were solid for a longer time. It seems like you'd just look at total production regardless of how many years it took, but that goes against everything I stand for in our Hall of Fame discussions.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by stumppy

Since it's a Sunday do you think we could have #12 a little early ? Please.

Check Post 244. You already have #12.