The Long, Slow, Arduous Bataan Death March To Drafting OL On May 8th - Page 3

Direckshun · 01:07 PM

I keep looking at the talent right now, have been for about three months.

And I honestly think the talent is at its best at OL towards the end of the 1st round.

Andy Reid needs to replace Albert, and there's no guarantee he has faith in Fisher. And Asamoah has almost certainly left, so we'll be in the hunt for a guard as well.

This is a team looking to get away from Pioli's smaller, nimble OL, and towards Reid's larger, more powerful OL.

Maybe we bring back Schwartz at guard. Maybe not.

God. This franchise has conditioned me to prepare for the worst.

***UPDATE***

OL the Chiefs could potentially, inevitably draft at 23, depending on where things are in 5 months:

OT Greg Robinson, Auburn
OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan
OT Cameron Erving, Florida State
OT Antonio Richardson, Tennessee
OT/G La'el Collins, LSU [not coming out this year]
OT/G Zack Martin, Notre Dame
OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State
OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor
OG David Yankey, Stanford
OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA

I will run mini-scouting reports on these guys over the next five months in this sad, miserable thread, plus any guys who also drift onto the radar.

If there are any others you'd add, feel free to.

Saccopoo · 01-09-2014, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorter

I turned off the LSU vid halfway through.

That's fantasy. No way Gabe Jackson, the year after 2 guards were selected in the top 10 falls to KC.

Pretty impressive what he does to the defensive lines of both Alabama and LSU, isn't it?

He was my fav this year, so I made it a point to watch him a lot and I can't remember a recent college lineman that was so dominating in terms of his power and ability to just stonewall dudes.

Reid loves him some power guys and the Chiefs have struggled in terms of Red Zone run blocking (though Schwartz helped when he was inserted into the lineup).

There isn't a better lineman in the draft that's better for a power scheme than Gabe Jackson. His main criticism by the draftniks is that he hasn't shown the high level athleticism, but if you watch him, he gets to the second level just fine. It's really that he's just so ****ing huge and strong and can simply destroy one or more guys right at the point of attack that he doesn't need to get out and pull/stunt all the time. He's not fat at all, and has a huge, huge base.

He's a big, big man.

Direckshun · 01-09-2014, 12:28 PM

OT/G Zack Martin, Notre Dame

Martin is why you have a draft season in the first place. The Combine, the Senior Bowl, East-West and all that exists for (a.) small school players to get more shoulder-to-shoulder comparisons against bigger school guys, and (b.) the Zack Martins of the world: players with plenty of potential but still face lingering questions about their skillset because of the system they play in.

What you see when you watch Martin play, is a lighter tackle (6'4", 304 lbs) who is a fantastic technician in pass protection and gets really good push in the run game.

His kickslide is fantastic, and he's downright boring to watch in pass protection, as he has his guy pretty much negated 95% of the time, and the remaining 5% of time, he has great recovery time to mitigate whatever pressure he's surrendering. His technique is really, really polished; I've already said that, but it bears repeating. It's almost Joeckel-esque, how polished he is, though he didn't face the slate of passrushers that the SEC tackles have.

His run game is really solid -- he can seal the edge, or plow through a defensive tackle for push. Notre Dame had lots of success running behind him.

Here's why draft season will be very important for him, however. Of the Notre Dame games I watched this year, they don't ask for their linemen to pull or hit the second level very often (almost never, actually), so Martin's athleticism is rarely on display. It seems like Martin is a really good athlete, but it's really hard to say definitively. Also, one of the reasons Martin consistently plowed defensive tackles was because he was almost always double-teaming them with a guard.

You're not going to draft a tackle in the first, or hopefully in the second, unless you fully expect to give them as little help as possible.

So the question then becomes: is it the chicken, or the egg? Does Notre Dame refrain from pulling its tackles because Martin isn't up to it? Or is it a scheme thing? Does Notre Dame demand its tackles double-team with guards when it blocks downhill, or is it a scheme thing?

I'm willing to give Martin the benefit of the doubt right now, because his tape is so outstanding, but the next five months will be a big, big deal for him.

Projection for Martin: My best guess is that Martin is not an exceptional athlete, but is still a very good one for the tackle position. No clue on the run blocking, but he's such a technician that he's got to be fine in that department. Martin does come with some versatility, as he can play guard as well. To me, he looks like an outstanding candidate for a zone-blocking offense. Maybe first round quality, but most likely second round quality. As for power schemes like Reid's that utilize pulls and screens, well... I simply don't know how good of a candidate he'd be for the job.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Marginal at best. Martin has two strikes against him in this regard: he's not quite the body type the Chiefs prefer in their lineman under Reid, and he hasn't really displayed himself as being a second-level blocker due to the team he plays on. As draft season goes on, and Martin proves himself, that could very well change.

OldSchool · 01-09-2014, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorter

I turned off the LSU vid halfway through.

That's fantasy. No way Gabe Jackson, the year after 2 guards were selected in the top 10 falls to KC.

Unfortunately, I agree. Due to the rookie cap, teams really do go with BPA now regardless of position (outside of K and P that is).

**HemiEd** · 01-09-2014, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

I think they should pick a QB. I've heard that there are six first round talents at the position.

That way, we don't have to extend Smith, could drop Daniel and get the talent we need at the position to take us deep into the playoffs.

With Bortles declaring, that might just drop Derek Carr into our laps at the 24 spot.

Then we could possibly look at A.J. McCarron with our third rounder.

That way, we could have our first round QB (FINALLY) and have two solid young QB's in Bray and McCarron duke it out behind Carr.

It's a win/win.

Ok, where is the "not sure if serious" picture when I need it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Holly mother of god. Now that sac is dead and someone posting in his place can I have his rep n post count

I think he might be trolling me, but not sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I liked Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez.

I am basically Rex Ryan.

Same here, I even liked Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen, but what do I know about QBs? I am a Chiefs fan.

Direckshun · 01-09-2014, 05:03 PM

OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama

In 2013, the Chiefs spent the first overall pick on an unbelievably athletic left tackle prospect that would need to be groomed for a year or two in order to reach his ridiculous upside. Eric Fisher of Central Michigan was the perfect example of a boom-or-bust prospect at the tackle position, and so far it's been a bust.

This year, the first round of the NFL Draft does feature a tackle who brings with him a similar boom-or-bustability. Alabama LT Cyrus Kouandjio (pronounced "kwan-joe") looks like a more athletic Jared Gaither. He is massive (6'6", 310 lbs) tackle with great athleticism, and very long, powerful arms that are capable of stoning any passrusher he can get his hands on.

The problem, however, is that his play for the Tide has been inconsistent. He struggled mightily in the bowl game against OU, and he dominated like a Top 5 pick against LSU. Perhaps no game better underscores the "sometimes dominant, sometimes dormant" talent of Kouandjio than the above game against Ole Miss. There are plays that make your eyes bug out, and there are plays where he literally just falls over.

Kouandjio has all the tools; Saban's staff isn't exactly known for developing its talent up to its potential. It may just take reliable coaching and technique work for him to retain some consistency. If he does, he's got everything you need to be a Pro Bowl tackle. Like Gaither before him, he's got a clean kickslide, he recovers well, he can protect the edge and he decimates the bullrush. He can get downfield and block, he can plow through tackles and wall off ends from run plays. He's got a great punch, and plays with a mean streak. When he's on, there's maybe no tackle in this draft that's better.

He handles his assignments very well, and is almost never fooled. The one thing he struggles with, other than just general consistency, is his footwork, and that will take time. Speed rushers have given him fits but, again, there's nothing in his skillset that says he can't be coached up to shut that down.

Projection for Kouandjio: It all comes down to how much you want to invest in coaching up a tackle. If Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson going #1 and #4 overall last year wasn't indication enough that teams will take that investment, than it's pretty clear to me that Kouandjio is a first round pick -- probably a Top 15 pick if he shows well at the Combine.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Dial it up to 11, and rip off the knob. The Chiefs love huge OL, and they love to draft and coach up athletic projects -- at least that's been Dorsey's track record so far. Assuming both he and Fisher would pan out, Kouandjio couldn't make a more perfect compliment: his aggressive road-grader style to Fisher's finesse athleticism. Plus, he'd more than likely have a year to learn the ropes while Stephenson and Fisher take snaps at tackle. The Chiefs would love to get their hands on this guy.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-09-2014, 05:43 PM

No need for a new thread, but this fits here nicely.

Just read Mel Kiper's 2008 redraft. Take a wild guess who he has us taking?

Jake Long.

Frosty · 01-09-2014, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

No need for a new thread, but this fits here nicely.

Just read Mel Kiper's 2008 redraft. Take a wild guess who he has us taking?

Jake Long.

Did we pass on Matt Ryan or did he go to the Dolphins?

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-09-2014, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frosty

Did we pass on Matt Ryan or did he go to the Dolphins?

Ryan and Flacco went 1-2. Clady and Rice went 3-4.

We passed on Mayo, CJ2k, DeSean Jackson, Chris Long, Matt Forte, Charles, Jordy Nelson.

According to Kiper, KC picked four first rounders in that draft:

Charles, Flowers, Albert and Carr.

Sadly, 5 years later - the guy we actually took plus probably two more off the above list will be gone.

Direckshun · 01-10-2014, 11:12 AM

OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State

Gabe Jackson plays like a man, but suffers from the same scheme limitations at the hands of Mississippi State's offense as Martin does from Notre Dame. He is a really impressive player, but there's still a lot we need to know before we understand how well he'd click into any particular NFL offense.

Here's what's indisputable: Jackson is, uh, kinda big (6'3", 340) and carries is phenomenally well. It's almost certain that an NFL team's going to ask him to lose 15-20 of it anyway, but that should only help his already-pretty impressive athleticism for a player that projects to be a power guard in the NFL.

His pass protection, so long as he locks in on his assignment, is extremely strong. He's a master at sinking his hips and swallowing bullrushes, or shoving a defender who's slamming the gaps wide of his mark. What he's not great at is communication with his fellow lineman -- stunts regularly throw him and his fellow lineman off, and there's far too many blitzes where Jackson ends up a bit confused and blocks nobody.

Jackson gets really good push in the run game, but it's hard to tell how great he'd be in space, since Mississippi State virtually never put him in space. The scheme is very direct and downhill, but on the odd occasion where Jackson was asked to pull, he was effective.

Gabe Jackson has a very high ceiling if he responds to coaching. I don't think zone blocking offenses will have a ton of interest in him, and offenses that like to run a bunch of screens or put their OL in space... There's still a lot to learn about him, even as he's a senior.

Probably the best thing about Jackson is that you don't have to give him help. He can handle defensive tackles extremely well one-on-one, and will pancake them in the run game from time to time. If we find out he can play well at the second level, can get out in front and block on a screen, or can even play a little tackle if an emergency calls for it, then he's going to get a shit ton of interest as a potential All Pro talent.

Projection for Jackson: I'd really like to see him at the Combine and see how athletic he is. A non-athletic Jackson could be an extremely good value pick in the 2nd round. But if he's a surprising athletic wonder, at 340 pounds, he won't last past the "teens" in the first round.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderate. At 23, he'd be a decent value pick, other than the fact that you're selecting a guard in the first round -- which Dorsey is more than capable of, for all we know. Gabe doesn't quite have the versatility of any of the other tackles the Chiefs could entertain here, but the Chiefs are really hurting for a reliable push down the middle of the DL.

Direckshun · 01-10-2014, 04:35 PM

OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor

Be wary with offensive lineman out of Baylor -- they have the same hit rate as defensive backs out of Alabama. That's for similar reasons, as well -- Alabama defensive backs have much of their food chewed for them, as the Alabama front seven puts tremendous pressure on teams and cramps their passing games typically before the ball ever reaches downfield.

And so it goes with Baylor, a team that plays a thrilling-to-watch, quick-strike, wide-open offense that spreads out defenses and keeps them honest more often than not. As such, the job of an offensive lineman at Baylor is far easier than it is at other schools, and you keep seeing these under-talented guys go in the first round (tackle Jason Smith, guard Danny Watkins) far before they should be.

And so it goes with big Bear Cyril Richardson. Richardson is massive, even without his hideous dreds (6'5", 335 lbs). He looks like a pretty decent athlete, and the Bears asked him to pull and get to the second level very frequently, which he usually did with aplomb.

Without a doubt, what Richardson can hang his hat on is his runblocking. He gets fantastic push in the run game, and can blow open holes and sustain his block. He's fantastic when he pulls, and looks really good at the second level. I love how quick he is off the snap. I don't see much of a dirty side but I do see a dogged determination to finish his blocks when he engages.

His ability in pass protection is what I question. He seems to be pretty capable, and I find it promising that he's able to handle stunts and read blitzes from his stance pretty effectively. But again, in Baylor's offense, I don't think he's facing as much heat as, say, Gabe Jackson or Xavier Su'a-Filo.

Projection for Richardson: He's a really, really good run blocker with some questions about his pass protection. Like Smith and Watkins before him, he has the look of a first-round pick on the field, and perhaps even the best guard this draft has to offer. The question then becomes: how much do you ignore Baylor's track record in recent years. Given that teams are still selecting Alabama cornerbacks in the first round, I bet somebody takes him late.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderately high. Richardson is a pretty good athlete who could stand to actually lose about 10 pounds, and blasts holes in the run game. There's no guarantee he'll make your pass blocking any better than it was with Schwartz, but he has lots of tape of him pulling and getting out in space very well, which the Chiefs love to do more than anything. I would just advise laying off Baylor offensive lineman in the first round, but keep in mind the last one was drafted by Andy Reid... so, yeah.

Direckshun · 01-12-2014, 11:24 PM

OG David Yankey, Stanford

Ladies and gentlemen, the best guard of this draft class. Absolutely no doubt in my mind.

There's a reason OL from Stanford are highly sought out. They are expertly coached, and come into the NFL readymade to be plugged into a lineup and play. The program has made miracle talent out of people like Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro in recent years, and David Yankey is better than both of them.

He does play, however, a devalued position at guard. But positional value aside, Yankey is entering Draft season as a Top 5 player in sheer talent. That'll probably change as the ebbs and flows of the year progress, but for now, there's Clowney, then there's Yankey and three or four other guys, and then there's everybody else.

There are absolutely zero holes in his game. His pass protection along the interior is smooth and efficient. His run game blasts holes open. His technique, great. His athleticism, nearly Fisher-esque -- at the guard position.

It's hard to even tell what offensive gameplan Yankey couldn't effortlessly execute. I'm tempted to say he's more of a zone-blocker than he is a power-blocker, but who the hell drafts a guy like Yankey just to waste his talents forcing him to block downhill? Yankey's true talent is his Swiss army knife utility: you can pull him, you can throw him out on screens, you can send him to the second level, you can him sprinting out to the edge on bubble screens!

If there is a single hole in Yankey's game, and I do mean a single hole, it's that he is developed to capacity. He's already at his ceiling. But that ceiling is already Pro Bowl material for ages. He is one of the players I am most excited to see in the NFL.

Projection for Yankey: I think Yankey is Top 15 material unless he tanks at the Combine. There is no offensive system he cannot fit into. There is seemingly no pass protection responsibility he cannot handle. I think Yankey is going to blow up at the Combine, however, and he's a prime candidate to go in the Top 10 if there's a team stupid enough to draft a guard that early.

Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Maximum. The Chiefs would adore a talent like Yankey's to supplant the struggling Jeff Allen at LG, Yankey's position at Stanford. If Yankey somehow lasts to the 23rd pick, he's absolutely gotta be on KC's shortlist, and I'd argue he'd be the heavy favorite to end up a Chief.

Saccopoo · 01-13-2014, 01:02 AM

I thought Yankey looked overmatched against Michigan State in the Rose Bowl.

kcchiefsus · 01-14-2014, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I liked Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez.

I am basically Rex Ryan.

So you have a foot fetish?

Direckshun · 01-30-2014, 01:55 PM

Another reason why I think we're looking at an OL early, and I still believe that OL is going to be the first pick: the draft is not terribly deep at OL.

By the time you get to the 4th or 5th round, the OL talent pool has almost entirely dried up.

Direckshun · 02-26-2014, 11:57 AM

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=281764

Oy.

01-05-2014, 02:11 PM
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	The Long, Slow, Arduous Bataan Death March To Drafting OL On May 8th I keep looking at the talent right now, have been for about three months. And I honestly think the talent is at its best at OL towards the end of the 1st round. Andy Reid needs to replace Albert, and there's no guarantee he has faith in Fisher. And Asamoah has almost certainly left, so we'll be in the hunt for a guard as well. This is a team looking to get away from Pioli's smaller, nimble OL, and towards Reid's larger, more powerful OL. Maybe we bring back Schwartz at guard. Maybe not. God. This franchise has conditioned me to prepare for the worst. *UPDATE* OL the Chiefs could potentially, inevitably draft at 23, depending on where things are in 5 months: OT Greg Robinson, Auburn OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan OT Cameron Erving, Florida State OT Antonio Richardson, Tennessee OT/G La'el Collins, LSU [not coming out this year] OT/G Zack Martin, Notre Dame OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor OG David Yankey, Stanford OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA I will run mini-scouting reports on these guys over the next five months in this sad, miserable thread, plus any guys who also drift onto the radar. If there are any others you'd add, feel free to. Last edited by Direckshun; 03-24-2014 at 01:07 PM..
Posts: 59,299

01-09-2014, 12:28 PM	#32
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	OT/G Zack Martin, Notre Dame Martin is why you have a draft season in the first place. The Combine, the Senior Bowl, East-West and all that exists for (a.) small school players to get more shoulder-to-shoulder comparisons against bigger school guys, and (b.) the Zack Martins of the world: players with plenty of potential but still face lingering questions about their skillset because of the system they play in. What you see when you watch Martin play, is a lighter tackle (6'4", 304 lbs) who is a fantastic technician in pass protection and gets really good push in the run game. His kickslide is fantastic, and he's downright boring to watch in pass protection, as he has his guy pretty much negated 95% of the time, and the remaining 5% of time, he has great recovery time to mitigate whatever pressure he's surrendering. His technique is really, really polished; I've already said that, but it bears repeating. It's almost Joeckel-esque, how polished he is, though he didn't face the slate of passrushers that the SEC tackles have. His run game is really solid -- he can seal the edge, or plow through a defensive tackle for push. Notre Dame had lots of success running behind him. Here's why draft season will be very important for him, however. Of the Notre Dame games I watched this year, they don't ask for their linemen to pull or hit the second level very often (almost never, actually), so Martin's athleticism is rarely on display. It seems like Martin is a really good athlete, but it's really hard to say definitively. Also, one of the reasons Martin consistently plowed defensive tackles was because he was almost always double-teaming them with a guard. You're not going to draft a tackle in the first, or hopefully in the second, unless you fully expect to give them as little help as possible. So the question then becomes: is it the chicken, or the egg? Does Notre Dame refrain from pulling its tackles because Martin isn't up to it? Or is it a scheme thing? Does Notre Dame demand its tackles double-team with guards when it blocks downhill, or is it a scheme thing? I'm willing to give Martin the benefit of the doubt right now, because his tape is so outstanding, but the next five months will be a big, big deal for him. Projection for Martin: My best guess is that Martin is not an exceptional athlete, but is still a very good one for the tackle position. No clue on the run blocking, but he's such a technician that he's got to be fine in that department. Martin does come with some versatility, as he can play guard as well. To me, he looks like an outstanding candidate for a zone-blocking offense. Maybe first round quality, but most likely second round quality. As for power schemes like Reid's that utilize pulls and screens, well... I simply don't know how good of a candidate he'd be for the job. Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Marginal at best. Martin has two strikes against him in this regard: he's not quite the body type the Chiefs prefer in their lineman under Reid, and he hasn't really displayed himself as being a second-level blocker due to the team he plays on. As draft season goes on, and Martin proves himself, that could very well change.
Posts: 59,299

01-09-2014, 05:03 PM	#35
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama In 2013, the Chiefs spent the first overall pick on an unbelievably athletic left tackle prospect that would need to be groomed for a year or two in order to reach his ridiculous upside. Eric Fisher of Central Michigan was the perfect example of a boom-or-bust prospect at the tackle position, and so far it's been a bust. This year, the first round of the NFL Draft does feature a tackle who brings with him a similar boom-or-bustability. Alabama LT Cyrus Kouandjio (pronounced "kwan-joe") looks like a more athletic Jared Gaither. He is massive (6'6", 310 lbs) tackle with great athleticism, and very long, powerful arms that are capable of stoning any passrusher he can get his hands on. The problem, however, is that his play for the Tide has been inconsistent. He struggled mightily in the bowl game against OU, and he dominated like a Top 5 pick against LSU. Perhaps no game better underscores the "sometimes dominant, sometimes dormant" talent of Kouandjio than the above game against Ole Miss. There are plays that make your eyes bug out, and there are plays where he literally just falls over. Kouandjio has all the tools; Saban's staff isn't exactly known for developing its talent up to its potential. It may just take reliable coaching and technique work for him to retain some consistency. If he does, he's got everything you need to be a Pro Bowl tackle. Like Gaither before him, he's got a clean kickslide, he recovers well, he can protect the edge and he decimates the bullrush. He can get downfield and block, he can plow through tackles and wall off ends from run plays. He's got a great punch, and plays with a mean streak. When he's on, there's maybe no tackle in this draft that's better. He handles his assignments very well, and is almost never fooled. The one thing he struggles with, other than just general consistency, is his footwork, and that will take time. Speed rushers have given him fits but, again, there's nothing in his skillset that says he can't be coached up to shut that down. Projection for Kouandjio: It all comes down to how much you want to invest in coaching up a tackle. If Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson going #1 and #4 overall last year wasn't indication enough that teams will take that investment, than it's pretty clear to me that Kouandjio is a first round pick -- probably a Top 15 pick if he shows well at the Combine. Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Dial it up to 11, and rip off the knob. The Chiefs love huge OL, and they love to draft and coach up athletic projects -- at least that's been Dorsey's track record so far. Assuming both he and Fisher would pan out, Kouandjio couldn't make a more perfect compliment: his aggressive road-grader style to Fisher's finesse athleticism. Plus, he'd more than likely have a year to learn the ropes while Stephenson and Fisher take snaps at tackle. The Chiefs would love to get their hands on this guy.
Posts: 59,299

01-09-2014, 05:43 PM	#36
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $4821115	No need for a new thread, but this fits here nicely. Just read Mel Kiper's 2008 redraft. Take a wild guess who he has us taking? Jake Long.
Posts: 60,268

01-10-2014, 11:12 AM	#39
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State Gabe Jackson plays like a man, but suffers from the same scheme limitations at the hands of Mississippi State's offense as Martin does from Notre Dame. He is a really impressive player, but there's still a lot we need to know before we understand how well he'd click into any particular NFL offense. Here's what's indisputable: Jackson is, uh, kinda big (6'3", 340) and carries is phenomenally well. It's almost certain that an NFL team's going to ask him to lose 15-20 of it anyway, but that should only help his already-pretty impressive athleticism for a player that projects to be a power guard in the NFL. His pass protection, so long as he locks in on his assignment, is extremely strong. He's a master at sinking his hips and swallowing bullrushes, or shoving a defender who's slamming the gaps wide of his mark. What he's not great at is communication with his fellow lineman -- stunts regularly throw him and his fellow lineman off, and there's far too many blitzes where Jackson ends up a bit confused and blocks nobody. Jackson gets really good push in the run game, but it's hard to tell how great he'd be in space, since Mississippi State virtually never put him in space. The scheme is very direct and downhill, but on the odd occasion where Jackson was asked to pull, he was effective. Gabe Jackson has a very high ceiling if he responds to coaching. I don't think zone blocking offenses will have a ton of interest in him, and offenses that like to run a bunch of screens or put their OL in space... There's still a lot to learn about him, even as he's a senior. Probably the best thing about Jackson is that you don't have to give him help. He can handle defensive tackles extremely well one-on-one, and will pancake them in the run game from time to time. If we find out he can play well at the second level, can get out in front and block on a screen, or can even play a little tackle if an emergency calls for it, then he's going to get a shit ton of interest as a potential All Pro talent. Projection for Jackson: I'd really like to see him at the Combine and see how athletic he is. A non-athletic Jackson could be an extremely good value pick in the 2nd round. But if he's a surprising athletic wonder, at 340 pounds, he won't last past the "teens" in the first round. Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderate. At 23, he'd be a decent value pick, other than the fact that you're selecting a guard in the first round -- which Dorsey is more than capable of, for all we know. Gabe doesn't quite have the versatility of any of the other tackles the Chiefs could entertain here, but the Chiefs are really hurting for a reliable push down the middle of the DL. Last edited by Direckshun; 01-10-2014 at 11:18 AM..
Posts: 59,299

01-10-2014, 04:35 PM	#40
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	OG Cyril Richardson, Baylor Be wary with offensive lineman out of Baylor -- they have the same hit rate as defensive backs out of Alabama. That's for similar reasons, as well -- Alabama defensive backs have much of their food chewed for them, as the Alabama front seven puts tremendous pressure on teams and cramps their passing games typically before the ball ever reaches downfield. And so it goes with Baylor, a team that plays a thrilling-to-watch, quick-strike, wide-open offense that spreads out defenses and keeps them honest more often than not. As such, the job of an offensive lineman at Baylor is far easier than it is at other schools, and you keep seeing these under-talented guys go in the first round (tackle Jason Smith, guard Danny Watkins) far before they should be. And so it goes with big Bear Cyril Richardson. Richardson is massive, even without his hideous dreds (6'5", 335 lbs). He looks like a pretty decent athlete, and the Bears asked him to pull and get to the second level very frequently, which he usually did with aplomb. Without a doubt, what Richardson can hang his hat on is his runblocking. He gets fantastic push in the run game, and can blow open holes and sustain his block. He's fantastic when he pulls, and looks really good at the second level. I love how quick he is off the snap. I don't see much of a dirty side but I do see a dogged determination to finish his blocks when he engages. His ability in pass protection is what I question. He seems to be pretty capable, and I find it promising that he's able to handle stunts and read blitzes from his stance pretty effectively. But again, in Baylor's offense, I don't think he's facing as much heat as, say, Gabe Jackson or Xavier Su'a-Filo. Projection for Richardson: He's a really, really good run blocker with some questions about his pass protection. Like Smith and Watkins before him, he has the look of a first-round pick on the field, and perhaps even the best guard this draft has to offer. The question then becomes: how much do you ignore Baylor's track record in recent years. Given that teams are still selecting Alabama cornerbacks in the first round, I bet somebody takes him late. Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Moderately high. Richardson is a pretty good athlete who could stand to actually lose about 10 pounds, and blasts holes in the run game. There's no guarantee he'll make your pass blocking any better than it was with Schwartz, but he has lots of tape of him pulling and getting out in space very well, which the Chiefs love to do more than anything. I would just advise laying off Baylor offensive lineman in the first round, but keep in mind the last one was drafted by Andy Reid... so, yeah.
Posts: 59,299

01-12-2014, 11:24 PM	#41
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	OG David Yankey, Stanford Ladies and gentlemen, the best guard of this draft class. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. There's a reason OL from Stanford are highly sought out. They are expertly coached, and come into the NFL readymade to be plugged into a lineup and play. The program has made miracle talent out of people like Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro in recent years, and David Yankey is better than both of them. He does play, however, a devalued position at guard. But positional value aside, Yankey is entering Draft season as a Top 5 player in sheer talent. That'll probably change as the ebbs and flows of the year progress, but for now, there's Clowney, then there's Yankey and three or four other guys, and then there's everybody else. There are absolutely zero holes in his game. His pass protection along the interior is smooth and efficient. His run game blasts holes open. His technique, great. His athleticism, nearly Fisher-esque -- at the guard position. It's hard to even tell what offensive gameplan Yankey couldn't effortlessly execute. I'm tempted to say he's more of a zone-blocker than he is a power-blocker, but who the hell drafts a guy like Yankey just to waste his talents forcing him to block downhill? Yankey's true talent is his Swiss army knife utility: you can pull him, you can throw him out on screens, you can send him to the second level, you can him sprinting out to the edge on bubble screens! If there is a single hole in Yankey's game, and I do mean a single hole, it's that he is developed to capacity. He's already at his ceiling. But that ceiling is already Pro Bowl material for ages. He is one of the players I am most excited to see in the NFL. Projection for Yankey: I think Yankey is Top 15 material unless he tanks at the Combine. There is no offensive system he cannot fit into. There is seemingly no pass protection responsibility he cannot handle. I think Yankey is going to blow up at the Combine, however, and he's a prime candidate to go in the Top 10 if there's a team stupid enough to draft a guard that early. Projected Chiefs interest @ 23: Maximum. The Chiefs would adore a talent like Yankey's to supplant the struggling Jeff Allen at LG, Yankey's position at Stanford. If Yankey somehow lasts to the 23rd pick, he's absolutely gotta be on KC's shortlist, and I'd argue he'd be the heavy favorite to end up a Chief.
Posts: 59,299

01-13-2014, 01:02 AM	#42
Saccopoo Kindness in words... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zion Casino cash: $10025483	I thought Yankey looked overmatched against Michigan State in the Rose Bowl.
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01-30-2014, 01:55 PM	#44
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	Another reason why I think we're looking at an OL early, and I still believe that OL is going to be the first pick: the draft is not terribly deep at OL. By the time you get to the 4th or 5th round, the OL talent pool has almost entirely dried up.
Posts: 59,299

02-26-2014, 11:57 AM	#45
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4263447	http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=281764 Oy.
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