Laddie Morse
The Kansas City Chiefs were in attendance at the recent NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Why is that important? Because some head coaches were not there and have decided that being there is less valuable for them than watching the combine on TV. In any event, the Chiefs have used that time in Indy to do some hobnobbing as well as scouting out the coming draft class, and that of course, will lead to the final selection of prospects in Detroit during the draft come April 27-to-29… and that’s just next month for those keeping track at home.
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Will K.C. Replace Tyreek This Year?
Some have suggested that the Chiefs will want to draft a speedy wideout early in this draft to help stretch the field the way Tyreek Hill used to be able to do. Many have suggested that the Chiefs will focus on improving team speed so whatever position they end up drafting, speed and quicks will be taken into consideration. Well, that would mean drafting a fast WR so let take a look at who would be available.
From an article called “Ranking the 10 fastest wide receivers at the 2024 NFL Combine” by James Parks for SI.com, here’s what he says are the top ten WRs times in the 40 yard dash:
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Funny how the very best WR — Marvin Harrison Jr. — is not even listed in this group. Shows that 40 times aren’t everything. Here’s the top ten WRs adapted from DrafTek.com:
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Before we get to Brian Thomas Jr. I just had to list an Xavier Worthy post (0:15):
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With Brian Thomas being 6-foot-4, or 5, and weighing in at 205 lbs. while running a 4.32 40 yard dash, you have to sit up and review his tape all over again. Although Xavier Worthy ran a record breaking time of 4.21 (btw, Tyreek Hill weighs 191 lbs.), and many Kingdom fans are salivating over the possibility of Veach drafting him, he only weighs in at 165 lbs. and that’s way too light in the britches. After all, DrafTek only has him ranked as the 36th best overall prospect so we know he’d probably be there, but he does have skills to learn, as DraftBuzz says of his weaknesses:
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“He’ll have to develop a better feel for
sitting down against zone coverage.”
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We know that Patrick Mahomes loves to hit TE Travis Kelce as he sits down between the opposing team’s DBs… in other words… sitting down against zone coverages. So, Worthy would have to learn that on the fly. Besides that, Worthy could easily get knocked off his path at the LoS by defenders on his way to a deep route. Worthy could be a good return man but that’s too high of a pick to take him at #32 just for a Special teamer. There are too many obstacles for the Chiefs to take a smallish WR that early. He could never be a #1 WR anyway, so all he could do is stretch the field… if… if.. he could get off the LoS. While DrafTek has Worthy listed as the 36th best overall prospect, I expect him to be moving up into the first round when all is said and done.
Brian Thomas Jr., on the other hand, can offer the deep ball too (2:04):
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Go to the 1:06 mark to see a play that has shades of a Patrick Mahomes play. When you look at the last column (below) that shows his last season and notice the jump to 17 TDs, you can tell he was the featured WR in the LSU offense this past year. Same thing for total yards gained, offered by sports-reference.com:
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Also, 17.3 average yards per catch is crazy good. Maybe he’s the man that Veach will target with #32. However, I have heard solid commentary on why Veach would trade up or down and out of the 32nd pick. Am I suggesting that the Chiefs should draft Brian Thomas Jr.? I guess I am … if they decide to go with WR up first. Here Brian Thomas Jr.’s (RAS) Relative Athletic Score:
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Defensive Line
Here’s the top five DTs adapted from DrafTek:
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While I’m guessing that the defensive Tackle position will be a hot commodity in this draft during the first round, with so few really good one’s available. Here is a listing of the 3-technique DTs. If GM Brett Veach is wanting to draft a DT first in this draft he could trade back out of the first round with a team that wanted to jump up and get a QB — like, say, Bo Nix or Spencer Rattler — and then Veach could draft a player making more efficient use of his cap dollars and draft capital. In that case, the one who might be there is Braden Fiske. Fiske has had a very good Combine and he has made himself some money, as they say, with his good performance. Let’s take a look and begin with Fiske’s RAS:
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Here’s Braden Fiske running his 40 yard dash with a 4.78 and remember he weighs in a 292, nearly 300 pounds. What I especially like is his height of 6-foot-5.
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Offensive Tackle
If Brett Veach decides to go with an Offensive Tackle, he might have to do that early in the draft if he wants to get a good one. Here are the top ten Offensive linemen adapted from DrafTek.com:
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Amarius Mims, Jordan Morgan and Tyler Guyton have been getting the most attention amoung Kingdom fans so I’ll cover each of them.
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Amarius Mims, Georgia
Mims had a good Combine. Here’s Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah on the call:
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For someone that big, to be moving like that is impressive. Mims also did the standing Broad Jump at 9-foot-2. Here’s his measurements:
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Jordan Morgan, Arizona
Here’s Jordan Morgan running his 40. He came in at a 5:05 for the 40, weighing in at 320 lbs..
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Morgan reportedly has “quick feet:”
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While Morgan is a good OT, he may be headed to Dallas — who selects at #24 — to replace Tyron Smith:
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Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Guyton is out of Oklahoma which may be a plus for him. With the Chiefs Center, Creed Humphrey, and OL Wanya Morris both being from Oklahoma, it may be a straight flush. Guyton may have only run a 5.19 40 yard dash but he moves well. Any time you hear that a lineman previously was a Tight End it bodes well for them… and possibly even get them drafted by an Andy Reid led team:
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Here, he is doing a Wave Drill:
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Here’s Guyton’s — RAS — Relative Athletic Score:
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Chiefs: Draft Approaches
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Peter Schrager of Good Morning Football says he thinks that possibly 12 OL could go in the first round (see below). How that will effect what Brett Veach does is beyond me, but it’s safe to say, this is the deepest draft at OL and WR ever. There are athletic prospects up and down the board and the GMFB team speculated that the top 10 players taken in this draft could all be Offensive players.
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Who knows for sure which direction Brett Veach is headed with his first pick in the draft. However, I’m fairly sure he’s going to take a WR or a DL or an OL. What do you think?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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