Draft, Trades, Whats the latest?

[dtterb]

What's going on. Who are we drafting? Is this trade going down? How much better are we going to be on Monday?

Any word?

outs
dtterb

[Primusgod]

in the second round of the draft, the Kansas City Chiefs pick.... Patrick Surtain

[Primusgod]

GRETZ: And the Pick Is?
Apr 22, 2005, 5:36:55 AM by Bob Gretz


OK, here’s one man’s guess on what direction the Chiefs will go with their first-round choice, pick No. 15, in this weekend’s annual NFL Draft.

Over more than 25 years of doing this, I’ve developed a method to my madness. Generally, my process begins with the big picture of where a team’s roster is, the age of those players and who is ascending and descending in ability.

But Carl Peterson has made things a bit easier this year, saying several times that the team’s draft will focus on defense and most especially in the first round. That narrows the field considerably.

Now, what are the chances of the Chiefs trading up from No. 15? Unlikely. The chances of the Chiefs trading down are better, but still not likely. Publicly and privately, the Chiefs believe a defensive player will fall to them that is worthy of the 15th slot.

The name the Commissioner announces for the Chiefs pick will depend on the teams ahead of them. This is always the most difficult part of the exercise, because there is so much misinformation that’s printed and spoken about when it comes to individual teams. Even insiders, who can reach the decision makers, often do not get the real deal; teams do not give this information away.

But one thing time has taught me is that the draft boards of NFL teams don’t really vary that much. Seldom is there a case where a player is considered a top 15 pick by one team and not considered at least a first-round possibility by every other team.

The early drumbeats suggest there are at least eight offensive players expected to be taken early in the first round, probably in the first 10 to 12 picks: Quarterbacks Alex Smith and Aaron Rogers, running backs Ronnie Brown, Carnell Williams and Cedric Benson, wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Mike Williams and tackle Alex Baron. There’s also the chance that another wideout, Troy Williamson could slip into the early picks.

So here are the defensive players generally considered among the top choices this year by NFL teams:

* CB: Antrel Rolle, Miami; Adam Jones, West Virginia; Carlos Rogers, Auburn.
* S: Thomas Davis, Georgia.
* LB: Derrick Johnson, Texas.
* DE-LB: DeMarcus Ware, Troy State; Shawne Merriman, Maryland; David Pollack, Georgia.
* DE: Erasmus James, Wisconsin; Marcus Spears, LSU.

Now, by all accounts Rolle and Johnson will be gone by the time the Chiefs are on the clock. Jones and either Ware, Merriman or both should also be off the board. Combine those four with eight offensive players and that’s 12 names off the board. That means the Chiefs pick is among those defensive players remaining.

In his conversation with the media this past week, Peterson used the term “impact defensive player.” It’s tough to nail down a standard definition of what “impact” means, as one team’s impact defensive player may not fit another team’s scheme.

That’s the case with guys like Ware, Merriman, Pollack and the Chiefs. These are guys that are probably best suited as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Ware has rare skills to get after the passer, but he’s not big enough to play every down as a defensive end in the 4-3. Pollack has what the scouts call a “great motor” but he’s short for a defensive end in the 4-3. Are they impact players? Sure, but obviously they would have a greater effect on a team using a 3-4 defense.

So with those names not fitting the picture, the focus falls on Rogers, Davis, James and Spears. Of those four names, Rogers, Davis and James are “impact” players.

* Rogers (link Real Video) is considered by many teams the best “pure” corner in the draft, as some teams think Rolle is more suited to safety. He’s got the ideal size at 6-0, 195 pounds with good speed in the 40-yard dash. Playing in the SEC, Rogers started 44 games for Auburn.
* Davis (link Real Video) also played in the SEC at Georgia, starting 25 of the 39 games (he left with a year of eligibility remaining.) Some of those games he played at linebacker and some NFL teams think he can play there with his 6-1, 230 pound frame. He’s a major hitter, although not much of a ball hawk.
* James (link Real Video) does not have an extensive football background, as he played only one year in high school and missed the 2003 Wisconsin season with a hip injury. When he’s gotten on the field, he’s made things happen. He has excellent athletic ability and at 265 pounds, he can add some weight.

It’s doubtful that Rogers, Davis and James will all be there. If they are, it should be quite a discussion in the Chiefs draft room.

Figure the Chiefs choice to be one of those three.