Kansas City Chiefs Draft Review

1st Round, Pick #26: Jonathan Baldwin (WR Pittsburgh)

Some people While this pick definitely surprised me, I really do like this pick for Kansas City. After Dwayne Bowe went on his midseason tear last year, teams toward the end of the season started to double and triple team him because the Chiefs had no other weapons. Some are saying that this was a stretch, but I don't think so. Baldwin is a 6-5 230 pound guy, who runs a 4.45 40, with excellent hands. He needs to sharpen up his route running skills, but he immediately makes this team better, and more dangerous.

Grade- B+

2nd Round, Pick #55: Rodney Hudson (Guard/Center Florida State)

I love the player, and I love the fit for both parties. Starting Center Casey Wiegmann is likely to retire leaving a huge hole at Center, and even if he does come back, the Chiefs needed help at Guard too. Hudson is a very versatile, athletic interior lineman, who has bulked up to 300 which enables him to play any position on the interior line. They needed to get Matt Cassell all the help they possibly could, and did an excellent job doing that in the first 2 rounds.

Grade- A

3rd Round, Pick #70: Justin Houston (DE/OLB Georgia)

What an absolute steal this was. Right out of the College season, Justin Houston was being looked at as a Top 15 pick, but his stock took a hit after teams examined his tape, and found things they didn't like, then a positive drug test at the combine knocked his stock down once again. I understand the reason for his stock being bumped from the mid first round, but not all the way until round 3. Say what you want about Houston from a mental aspect, but he was dominant last year in Georgia's switch to a 3-4 defense, and has shown that he can be a terrific edge rusher. He ran a 4.6 40 at the combine at 270 pounds, proving his elite blend of size and explosiveness. Kansas City had a huge need for a 3-4 edge rusher, and I'm sure they were surprised to be able to fill it in the 3rd round of the draft.

Grade- A+

3rd Round, Pick #86: Allen Bailey (DE Miami)

Allen Bailey is another guy who was once thought to be a first round prospect, but after a poor Senior Bowl, and a closer examination of his game film, his stock took a dive. I wasn't as shocked as this fall as I was Houston's, because I realized just how raw Allen Bailey really is. I could make the argument, that pound for pound, he is the best athlete in the entire draft, but really that is all he's got going for him. His technique is horrible, he doesn't excel in any certain aspect, nor does he have a defined position. I like this situation for him though, as he possesses the size, and stretch to be a good 5 Tech, and if he can develop his talent, K.C will have gotten another steal.

Grade- A-

4th Round, Pick #118: Jalil Brown (CB Colorado)

Jalil Brown really went under the radar in college, partially because Colorado is such an atrocious football team, and also because his teammate Jimmy Smith took all the attention there was to be had. Brown is very polished and smooth as an athlete, he has fluid hips, changes directions well, and has good speed to go along with his height (6-0). Kansas City already has pretty good depth at Corner, but Smith was too good to pass up here, and now just makes them that much better, and deeper for all defensive packages.

Grade- A

5th Round, Pick #135: Ricky Stanzi (QB Iowa)

I don't know what it is that teams see in Ricky Stanzi, he has played in many big games, and time and time again proven to be extremely average. And if that didn't do it for teams, a terrible performance at the Senior Bowl should have. I understand that he is a pretty smart guy who takes good care of the football, and he is pretty accurate underneath, but he is definitely a backup at best. I understand drafting backup quarterbacks, but early in the 5th round, I am still trying to pick up some impact players. If they were to go with a Quarterback, Nate Enderle from Idaho should have been the guy, he has a lot of upside, and I think will develop into a starter one day.

Grade- D-

5th Round, Pick #140: Gabe Miller (OLB Oregon State)

Here again, only a few picks into the 5th round the Chiefs decided to take somebody who has no chance of ever starting, but clearly only looking for a Special Teamer. I guess it is just a difference in opinion for me, as Kansas City seems to think that the 5th round is the time to pick up backups and special teamers, whereas I am still trying to draft talent in the 5th, and I'd wait until late in the draft to start picking up back players.

Grade- D-

6th Round, Pick #199: Jerrell Powe (NT Mississippi)

Getting Jerrell Powe in the 6th round was one of the biggest steals of the draft if you ask me. Powe is a 330 pound nose tackle that will excel in a 3-4 defense where he can just eat up space, take on blockers, and let his teammates clean up around him. He reminds me a lot of former NT Grady Jackson who made a living using his huge body to clog up the middle. I think Powe can start for this team in the not-too-distant future, and is a tremendous value in round 6.

Grade- A+

7th Round, Pick #223: Shane Bannon (FB Yale)

Typical 7th round pick here. Shane Bannon is a hard worker, and actually pretty athletic guy who makes his living by playing physical, and throwing his pads around. He is nothing more than a camp body that will fight on special teams to make the roster.

Grade- D