Talking Draft Prospects - Page 12

Direckshun · 08:24 PM

We've got perhaps the biggest, most consequential draft coming up for this franchise since 2008. The Chiefs have all seven of their picks, and will certainly be picking up an additional four in compensatory picks, one of which is assuredly a 3rd rounder.

As a result, it's important to familiarize ourselves with as much of this draft class as possible. I started a thread last offseason that discussed late rounders that was generally well liked and spurred tons of great conversation on all sorts of draft picks we normally wouldn't talk about, so I'm going to duplicate that idea this year, only discussing all talents, rather than just the mid- and lower-round ones.

The OP will be continually updated to show the talent I'm reviewing by position. Keep in mind as I list these players that I am generally listing their round projections, but it is not a strict big board, as I likely won't have a big board put together until May.

Spoiler!

Direckshun · 10-19-2014, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exoter175

Isn't he like 6 foot 350 lbs? lol

He's LISTED at 6'3", 320 lbs. But he looks much bigger.

OldSchool · 10-19-2014, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Dorset is the gm, he picks the coordinators, so by asssociation, he picks the schemes

Pretty sure that Reid is the one who gets to pick his own coordinators.

Exoter175 · 10-19-2014, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Dorset is the gm, he picks the coordinators, so by asssociation, he picks the schemes

No, Dorsey gets to pick his Head Coach, and the Head Coach gets to pick his coordinators, coaches, and coaching assistants. Dorsey gets to choose "essential personnel" like Assistant GM's, Scouts, HC's, and that's about it. President overrides GM, Owner overrides all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I wouldn't last as a GM for a dozen reasons, but my opinion on how John Dorsey drafts probably wouldn't be one of them.

As long as your opinion is that John Dorsey drafts for the SYSTEM and not to some predetermined size and metrics, then you would be correct. Also the "you wouldn't last as a GM" hypothetical wasn't a knock on you, it was actually in reference to a hypothetical GM drafting "mold" players that don't fit his system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

He's LISTED at 6'3", 320 lbs. But he looks much bigger.

Rounder, I didn't think he was that tall though lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSchool

Pretty sure that Reid is the one who gets to pick his own coordinators.

Exaaaaaactly.

OldSchool · 10-20-2014, 09:04 AM

On another note, what do you guys think of Eric Striker from OU?

I think he has the potential and athleticism to kick inside and play a bit like Daryl Washington did for Zona.

Direckshun · 10-21-2014, 02:50 PM

OT Ereck Flowers, Miami -- Flowers is nobody's idea of a phenomenal athlete, but I really grew to appreciate Flowers' play the more I watched him. Flowers is an ideally-sized 6'6", 324 lbs, but has the LOOK of a plodder. Has the LOOK of slow feet. Doesn't LOOK like the nimble tackle that teams will put on their blind side. And I emphasize "look" here, because despite disappointing the eye test, Flowers' work on the field speaks for itself. Miami recently played Randy Gregory and the ferocious Cornhusker defense, and while Miami's offensive line crumbled in the face of pressure everywhere, I didn't see Flowers give up a single pressure -- even in the 8-10 snaps or so singled up against Top Three prospect Randy Gregory, a player 80 pounds lighter and far more athletic. Every adjective you could attach to Flowers' play should have the hypenated "-but-effective" suffix attached. His kickslide? Heavy, but effective. His runblocking in space? Stilted, but effective. The Hurricanes never put him out in space, and he's nobody's idea of a mauler, but he effectively isolates his player out of the play nearly every time. I remember watching a very physically large tackle who didn't play with great athleticism but was very reliable on the blind side last year, Antonio Richardson. Every team in the NFL passed on him, and he became a UDFA. I really hope that doesn't happen to Flowers, who may not even come out this year. Because teams are stupidly dogmatic about their personnel decisions, Flowers will probably end up a RT prospect, but I legitimately do think he has LT upside, and I'd take a hard look at him on the second day of the draft.

Halfcan · 10-21-2014, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Let's start out with the obvious one:

QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon -- Football Outsiders' own football Bible summarizes the chances of an early round QB panning out thusly: the more games they've started, and the higher their career completion percentage, the better chance they're going to work out. By this measure alone, Mariota's almost certainly the best prospect we've seen in this league since Andrew Luck, and he's probably on par with RG3 as the fourth-best QB prospect we've seen in the last ten years (behind, in order: Luck, Eli, and Stafford). But the tape is what really elevates Mariota: he is truly a QB of the league's future. As more and more teams ape Chip Kelly's hurry up offense, Mariota comes tailor-made for that system. His decision making is precise and quick, his release is fast. He's super athletic (I'm guessing a 40 in the low 4.5s), and he's built sturdy at 6'4", 218 lbs. His arm can make any throw, and is always accurate. The comparison you'll hear all draft season is Colin Kaepernick, but even that sells Mariota short, as Mariota's ability to read defenses gives him a higher ceiling. He will be the #1 overall selection.

Trade entire draft for this kid and fill in the team needs through Free Agency.

Sound crazy-yes it does- but looking back, would you have done it for Luck or Peyton? The kid will be a star. Yes that plan failed with RG3-but Mariota has a much higher ceiling. He is the only one in the draft that changes this teams destiny for the next 15 years. It will Never happen-but fun to dream.

RunKC · 10-21-2014, 04:08 PM

Get a FA WR, draft La'El Collins rd 1 and draft a WR rd 2.

You don't think a quality G won't help? Look at Dallas, SF, CIN and SEA using high picks on one and the results they are getting.

The offense has solid weapons for the most part. The timing is being messed up due to pressure.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 10-21-2014, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Trade entire draft for this kid and fill in the team needs through Free Agency.

Sound crazy-yes it does- but looking back, would you have done it for Luck or Peyton? The kid will be a star. Yes that plan failed with RG3-but Mariota has a much higher ceiling. He is the only one in the draft that changes this teams destiny for the next 15 years. It will Never happen-but fun to dream.

I agree( of course ), but our commitment to "7/9 and hope for the best" will put us too far out.

Welcome to sweet, sweet Purgatory, where the only Groundhog Day Chiefs fans get is linemen. LOTS of linemen.

jonzie04 · 10-21-2014, 07:48 PM

watching some game videos on draft breakdown. and i want shaq thompson bad. i think he could be a killer ilb. guy is very instinctual, very good in coverage, hes really fast and covers a lot of ground quickly. he is little undersized but hes incredibly physical, and agressive. the guy can lay the wood.. i think if ilb doesnt work out he could be a special box safety in a role similar to berry and abdullahs.

Direckshun · 10-21-2014, 10:06 PM

My only real issue with Thompson is that he doesn't look terribly natural shedding blocks, which is necessary far more as a 3-4 ILB than it is as a 4-3 OLB, where I think he's the best fit.

He's a VERY good prospect, though. He has a high floor, and I think he has Pro Bowl potential if he fine tunes some of his weaknesses.

Direckshun · 10-22-2014, 03:04 AM

RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama -- Yeldon is in the unfortunate spot of being yet another super talented RB out of Alabama when the two of the three guys immediately before him fitting that exact description have busted terribly in the NFL. Eddie Lacey has a prayer of turning that around, and maybe teams will value Yeldon on his own merits, but that does cause me pause. Yeldon is a bit of a tweener -- he's not quite a speedback, not quite a power back. But he is dynamite in a one-cut zone blocking scheme. Running behind an OL blocking downhill, he can locate the best hole, get really skinny to squeeze through it (no easy task for a 6'2", 220 lb RB), and accelerate quickly to the next level. He doesn't have elite change of direction, but his ability to pick a hole and consistently gain decent yardage will land him on a team somewhere interested in giving him 15-20 touches a game. Yeldon will need considerable work blocking and in the passing game, but he's already plenty NFL-ready in the parts of the game most difficult to teach -- working with blockers, picking the right hole, and burrowing forward for the extra yardage. His long frame means that this 220 lbs aren't anchored in powerful legs, but he does possess a graceful stride which can eat up real estate in a hurry. There are some first-round rumblings with Yeldon, but he seems like a RB-by-committee back who will need refinement if he ever becomes "the guy," and I'd wait until the 2nd day of the draft before considering an investment there.

Halfcan · 10-22-2014, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 505 Chief

I agree( of course ), but our commitment to "7/9 and hope for the best" will put us too far out.

Welcome to sweet, sweet Purgatory, where the only Groundhog Day Chiefs fans get is linemen. LOTS of linemen.

Great movie. Being a Chiefs fan is kinda like that-we have seen this season so many times before. When we get the number one-we draft Fisher-lol

That is going to hurt for many years.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 10-22-2014, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Great movie. Being a Chiefs fan is kinda like that-we have seen this season so many times before. When we get the number one-we draft Fisher-lol

That is going to hurt for many years.

All I know is this:

If the Chiefs keep treating the QB position like "kicker" in the ****ing draft; they will go absolutely nowhere in life.

But, most people outside of CP are happy with "good football". Just be competitive, don't be a complete embarrassment, and try to squeeeeeeze in to the play offs any way you can.( Back that ass up Herm-style, it's okay!)

And then they set great, life-altering benchmarks like, "JUUUUHST WIN A PLAAAAYOFF GAAAAAAAAME, MAN"!

fmr with that shit.

I hope the Royals win the series. Kansas City sports culture desperately needs a "winning attitude"-enema.

Direckshun · 10-23-2014, 02:41 AM

DE/OLB Bronson Kaufusi, BYU -- Fewer players in this draft (or any draft) have given me more to think about than Kaufusi, a 6'7", 263 lbs standing passrusher out of BYU. There is film I've seen of his that is so horribly terrible that I don't know what there is to like -- he gets blocked out of run plays routinely, he struggles to read where the ball is, his first step is slow and his passrush moves limited, he looks Hali-esque uncomfortable in coverage, he's from BYU so he's probably 26 years old or whatever, and so on. But then, once BYU gets a lead, and the opposing team has to drop back to pass to stay in the game, you see it. In obvious passing situations, Kaufusi has beast potential. He can beat tackles around the edge, he can stunt up the middle, he has long arms that get into OL before they get into him, and he can even manipulate a couple moves to penetrate the pocket, becoming a true disruptor. I've thought a lot about him since the season began, and I honestly think he's a very talented player who just needs the game broken down for him better. When the game stays simple, i.e. obvious passing down, Kaufusi can punish offenses. Coaching can go a long way here. Kaufusi is also a tweener: he spends almost 100% of his plays standing up, but with his huge frame and lack of open-space athleticism, he looks like a 4-3 DE -- either way, lots of work will need to be done. With a great coaching staff, however, that can channel his game, there is potential for a passrusher that is primarily asked to play at the LOS, and not drop from it into coverage.

Direckshun · 10-24-2014, 03:59 AM

OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville -- Draft season is made for prospects like Lorenzo Mauldin, a guy that is flying under most people's radars but will probably see his stock skyrocket as a great prospect at rushbacker as soon as everybody is being compared side-by-side. Teammate of 2nd rounder Marcus Smith's last year, Maudlin draws a lot of the same comparisons to me. He is a physical specimen -- he's listed at 6'4", 250 lbs, and looks every pound of that and more. He sports a frame that is long and powerful, with more room on his frame. He's got fantastic closing speed -- watching him burst through an OL on a stunt is a genuine pleasure -- and hits like a truck. He already has a small number of effective passrushing moves, one of which is an awesome swim move. Maudlin is a pure 3-4 OLB, having played that exact position with the Cardinals, but relies a little too much on his great athleticism for my liking. As a result, despite his good effort, he's very weak against the run and struggles in tackling. A couple seasons of technique work and strength/conditioning will help him stack and shed better, which would only be yet another feather in his cap. I really think Maudlin has double-digit sack possibilities in the NFL, and could sneak into the 1st in the NFL Draft.

09-24-2014, 02:22 AM
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	Talking Draft Prospects We've got perhaps the biggest, most consequential draft coming up for this franchise since 2008. The Chiefs have all seven of their picks, and will certainly be picking up an additional four in compensatory picks, one of which is assuredly a 3rd rounder. As a result, it's important to familiarize ourselves with as much of this draft class as possible. I started a thread last offseason that discussed late rounders that was generally well liked and spurred tons of great conversation on all sorts of draft picks we normally wouldn't talk about, so I'm going to duplicate that idea this year, only discussing all talents, rather than just the mid- and lower-round ones. The OP will be continually updated to show the talent I'm reviewing by position. Keep in mind as I list these players that I am generally listing their round projections, but it is not a strict big board, as I likely won't have a big board put together until May. Spoiler! QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon Jameis Winston, Florida State Brett Hundley, UCLA Connor Cook, Michigan State RB Todd Gurley, Georgia Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska Mike Davis, South Carolina T.J. Yeldon, Alabama Tevin Coleman, Indiana Duke Johnson, Miami Jay Ajayi, Boise State FB WR Sammie Coates, Auburn Amari Cooper, Alabama Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma Ty Montgomery, Stanford Kevin White, West Virginia DeVante Parker, Louisville Jaelen Strong, Arizona State Josh Harper, Fresno State Breshad Perriman, Central Florida Devin Smith, Ohio State Rashad Greene, Florida State TE Devin Funchess, Michigan Maxx Williams, Minnesota OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M Brandon Schwerff, Iowa Andrus Peat, Stanford La'el Collins, LSU Spencer Drango, Baylor Ereck Flowers, Miami Cameron Erving, Florida State T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State Jake Fisher, Oregon OG La'el Collins, LSU A.J. McCann, South Carolina Cameron Erving, Florida State Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State Josue Matias, Florida State Laken Tomlinson, Duke C Cameron Erving, Florida State Reese Dismukes, Auburn NT Danny Shelton, Washington Eddie Goldman, Florida State Malcom Brown, Texas Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma 4-3 DT and/or 3-4 DE Leonard Williams, USC Michael Bennett, Ohio State Mario Edwards, Jr., Florida State Malcom Brown, Texas Arik Armstead, Oregon Carl Davis, Iowa 4-3 DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida Shawn Oakman, Baylor Bronson Kaufusi, BYU Alvin Dupree, Kentucky Nate Orchard, Utah Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA Danielle Hunter, LSU 3-4 OLB Randy Gregory, Nebraska Vic Beasley, Clemson Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida Shayne Ray, Missouri Bronson Kaufusi, BYU Lorenzo Maudlin, Louisville Alvin Dupree, Kentucky Nate Orchard, Utah Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington Eli Harold, Virginia Danielle Hunter, LSU 4-3 OLB/WILB Vic Beasley, Clemson Shaq Thompson, Washington Paul Dawson, TCU MLB/SILB Bernardrick McKinney, Mississippi State Denzel Perryman, Miami Eric Kendricks, UCLA CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomo, Oregon P.J. Williams, Florida State Marcus Peters, Washington Trae Waynes, Michigan State Jalen Collins, LSU Alex Carter, Stanford Quentin Rollins, Miami (OH) Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest SS Landon Collins, Alabama Anthony Harris, Virginia FS Gerod Holliman, Louisville K P Last edited by Direckshun; 03-04-2015 at 08:24 PM..
Posts: 59,262

10-20-2014, 09:04 AM	#169
OldSchool MVP Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $10035212	On another note, what do you guys think of Eric Striker from OU? I think he has the potential and athleticism to kick inside and play a bit like Daryl Washington did for Zona.
Posts: 12,727

10-21-2014, 02:50 PM	#170
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	OT Ereck Flowers, Miami -- Flowers is nobody's idea of a phenomenal athlete, but I really grew to appreciate Flowers' play the more I watched him. Flowers is an ideally-sized 6'6", 324 lbs, but has the LOOK of a plodder. Has the LOOK of slow feet. Doesn't LOOK like the nimble tackle that teams will put on their blind side. And I emphasize "look" here, because despite disappointing the eye test, Flowers' work on the field speaks for itself. Miami recently played Randy Gregory and the ferocious Cornhusker defense, and while Miami's offensive line crumbled in the face of pressure everywhere, I didn't see Flowers give up a single pressure -- even in the 8-10 snaps or so singled up against Top Three prospect Randy Gregory, a player 80 pounds lighter and far more athletic. Every adjective you could attach to Flowers' play should have the hypenated "-but-effective" suffix attached. His kickslide? Heavy, but effective. His runblocking in space? Stilted, but effective. The Hurricanes never put him out in space, and he's nobody's idea of a mauler, but he effectively isolates his player out of the play nearly every time. I remember watching a very physically large tackle who didn't play with great athleticism but was very reliable on the blind side last year, Antonio Richardson. Every team in the NFL passed on him, and he became a UDFA. I really hope that doesn't happen to Flowers, who may not even come out this year. Because teams are stupidly dogmatic about their personnel decisions, Flowers will probably end up a RT prospect, but I legitimately do think he has LT upside, and I'd take a hard look at him on the second day of the draft.
Posts: 59,262

10-21-2014, 04:08 PM	#172
RunKC Andy Reid Supporter Join Date: Apr 2012 Casino cash: $2259611	Get a FA WR, draft La'El Collins rd 1 and draft a WR rd 2. You don't think a quality G won't help? Look at Dallas, SF, CIN and SEA using high picks on one and the results they are getting. The offense has solid weapons for the most part. The timing is being messed up due to pressure. __________________ Mike Greenberg@Espngreeny I can’t fathom what it must be like to be a fan of the #Chiefs. Adopt a Chief: Noah Gray
Posts: 46,046

10-21-2014, 07:48 PM	#174
jonzie04 MVP Join Date: Feb 2014 Casino cash: $5816817	watching some game videos on draft breakdown. and i want shaq thompson bad. i think he could be a killer ilb. guy is very instinctual, very good in coverage, hes really fast and covers a lot of ground quickly. he is little undersized but hes incredibly physical, and agressive. the guy can lay the wood.. i think if ilb doesnt work out he could be a special box safety in a role similar to berry and abdullahs.
Posts: 6,779

10-21-2014, 10:06 PM	#175
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	My only real issue with Thompson is that he doesn't look terribly natural shedding blocks, which is necessary far more as a 3-4 ILB than it is as a 4-3 OLB, where I think he's the best fit. He's a VERY good prospect, though. He has a high floor, and I think he has Pro Bowl potential if he fine tunes some of his weaknesses.
Posts: 59,262

10-22-2014, 03:04 AM	#176
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama -- Yeldon is in the unfortunate spot of being yet another super talented RB out of Alabama when the two of the three guys immediately before him fitting that exact description have busted terribly in the NFL. Eddie Lacey has a prayer of turning that around, and maybe teams will value Yeldon on his own merits, but that does cause me pause. Yeldon is a bit of a tweener -- he's not quite a speedback, not quite a power back. But he is dynamite in a one-cut zone blocking scheme. Running behind an OL blocking downhill, he can locate the best hole, get really skinny to squeeze through it (no easy task for a 6'2", 220 lb RB), and accelerate quickly to the next level. He doesn't have elite change of direction, but his ability to pick a hole and consistently gain decent yardage will land him on a team somewhere interested in giving him 15-20 touches a game. Yeldon will need considerable work blocking and in the passing game, but he's already plenty NFL-ready in the parts of the game most difficult to teach -- working with blockers, picking the right hole, and burrowing forward for the extra yardage. His long frame means that this 220 lbs aren't anchored in powerful legs, but he does possess a graceful stride which can eat up real estate in a hurry. There are some first-round rumblings with Yeldon, but he seems like a RB-by-committee back who will need refinement if he ever becomes "the guy," and I'd wait until the 2nd day of the draft before considering an investment there.
Posts: 59,262

10-23-2014, 02:41 AM	#179
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	DE/OLB Bronson Kaufusi, BYU -- Fewer players in this draft (or any draft) have given me more to think about than Kaufusi, a 6'7", 263 lbs standing passrusher out of BYU. There is film I've seen of his that is so horribly terrible that I don't know what there is to like -- he gets blocked out of run plays routinely, he struggles to read where the ball is, his first step is slow and his passrush moves limited, he looks Hali-esque uncomfortable in coverage, he's from BYU so he's probably 26 years old or whatever, and so on. But then, once BYU gets a lead, and the opposing team has to drop back to pass to stay in the game, you see it. In obvious passing situations, Kaufusi has beast potential. He can beat tackles around the edge, he can stunt up the middle, he has long arms that get into OL before they get into him, and he can even manipulate a couple moves to penetrate the pocket, becoming a true disruptor. I've thought a lot about him since the season began, and I honestly think he's a very talented player who just needs the game broken down for him better. When the game stays simple, i.e. obvious passing down, Kaufusi can punish offenses. Coaching can go a long way here. Kaufusi is also a tweener: he spends almost 100% of his plays standing up, but with his huge frame and lack of open-space athleticism, he looks like a 4-3 DE -- either way, lots of work will need to be done. With a great coaching staff, however, that can channel his game, there is potential for a passrusher that is primarily asked to play at the LOS, and not drop from it into coverage.
Posts: 59,262

10-24-2014, 03:59 AM	#180
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4383447	OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville -- Draft season is made for prospects like Lorenzo Mauldin, a guy that is flying under most people's radars but will probably see his stock skyrocket as a great prospect at rushbacker as soon as everybody is being compared side-by-side. Teammate of 2nd rounder Marcus Smith's last year, Maudlin draws a lot of the same comparisons to me. He is a physical specimen -- he's listed at 6'4", 250 lbs, and looks every pound of that and more. He sports a frame that is long and powerful, with more room on his frame. He's got fantastic closing speed -- watching him burst through an OL on a stunt is a genuine pleasure -- and hits like a truck. He already has a small number of effective passrushing moves, one of which is an awesome swim move. Maudlin is a pure 3-4 OLB, having played that exact position with the Cardinals, but relies a little too much on his great athleticism for my liking. As a result, despite his good effort, he's very weak against the run and struggles in tackling. A couple seasons of technique work and strength/conditioning will help him stack and shed better, which would only be yet another feather in his cap. I really think Maudlin has double-digit sack possibilities in the NFL, and could sneak into the 1st in the NFL Draft.
Posts: 59,262