Laddie Morse
Yesterday was the last day for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. It was a day when the focus was on Running Backs and Offensive Linemen. While David Bell appears to be favoring OT Broderick Jones for the Chiefs first round pick at #31, I may be chanign my preference to OT Anton Harrison out of Oklahoma. Some of you may be thinking that the Chiefs OC Creed Humphrey, also out of Oklahoma, might have been team mates with Anton Harrison when he played there, Creed left in after the 2020 season when Harrison was a freshman and not a starter. The last four day in Indy looked like this scheduel wise:
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Day One – Thursday: DL and LBs
Day Two – Friday: Defensive Backs
Day Three – Saturday: QBs, WRs, & TEs
Day Four – Sunday: RBs and OLs
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Sunday’s Combine Report
With the focus on RBs and OLs on Sunday, the best 40 yard dash time belongs to DJ Turner:
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A 4.27 40 yard dash time for DJ Turner II, is very very fast. It’s all relative though right… just remember Jamaal Charles ran a 4.36 – 40 and he was the fastest RB the Chiefs have ever had.
Please allow me to step away from the RB talk for a moment and just say… it’s hard to believe these next tow gentlemen come from the same school. Was there defense any good? No, but these guys can fly.
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Chiefs and the Combine
We all want to know which positions the Chiefs will be targeting this year in the draft. That makes all the difference when looking prospects over at the NFL Combine. Jacob Milham of ArrowheadAddict wrote a pice called, “Three positions to address in the 2023 NFL Draft” in which he offers:
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Chiefs and Prospect Visit
Theres’ a little website sponsored by WalterFootball.com called, “2023 NFL Draft Prospect Visits Tracker” and they keep track of each team’s visits with Prospects there. Here’s are the prospects the Chiefs repostedly visited with at the Combine.
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The “COM” following each of those names means they visited at the Combine (COM). The Chiefs visited with 11 different Prospects here and 6 of them were Offensive Linemen. That should tell us something. Or not. I think it does. K.C. may have visited with Julius Brents, a local kid from Kansas State, because he’s very tall standing 6-foot-4 inches tall (and he weighs 204). ProFootballNetwork.com says Brents is a top 75 prospect and DarfTek says he’s ranked at #81 overall.
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Offensive Linemen Run the 40
OL Prospects ran the 40 yesterday. A lot of attention is given to their ten-yard split time but I’m unsure that means very much. While the Chiefs already have one of the best — if not the best — interior offensive lines in Joe Thuney | Creed Humphrey | and Trey Smith… they just might end up taking another IOL in this draft, especially if that IOL can pop outside to the OT position for a stint.
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Running Backs Run the 40
While most RBs this year are running moderate times, there are a few who are setting the world on fire. However, since Brett Veach drafted a 4.37 guy in Isiah Pacheco — and he helped win a Super Bowl in his rookie year — I doubt he goes out and gets another RB again in back to back years. With Clyde Edwards-Helaire likely headed for the door — not that I want him to — there are plenty of FA RBs out there who could fill the bill, plus, Jerick McKinnon may want to return for a third year in a row, to see if he can help this team get back to, and win, another Super Bowl:
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Chiefs Combine Summary
I always look forward to the NFL Scouting Combine and this year, maybe, more than ever. Why? Possibly because I do want to see K.C. establish a dynasty and it will take another stellar draft to get that done… oh… as well as winning another Super Bowl at the end of this coming season. The stars of this combine don’t make much of a difference for the Chiefs. In an article by Luis Medina called, “D-Line Combine Stars, Dreamy Depth, Is a “Feeding Frenzy” Coming?” for BleacherNation.com he says:
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“Will Anderson Jr. stands out above the rest.
But as we’ve discussed previously, this class
is loaded with talent that should go in the
first two rounds.”
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Medina writes about the Chicago Bears mostly and he goes on to say:
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“The depth [of the DL in this class] was definitely something to write home about and is encouraging on so many levels. Depending on if the Bears can tack on additional draft capital, I wouldn’t mind double-dipping along the defensive line on NFL Draft weekend. It probably wouldn’t be ideal when you consider how many other needs this team has, but it is fun to think about the possibilities.”
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For the Chiefs, it would be ideal. The point is, if the Chiefs want to take a look at drafting an OL talent up front in this draft, there will likely be plenty of that DL depth and talent left for them to pick up a starting IDL big man in the second or third round if need be. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that’s the way Brett Veach and Company are leaning… for now.
I say… “For Now”… because a lot depends on: if Veach can get Orlando Brown Jr. to re-sign for a team friendly deal… and… if he can get Chris Jones re-structured in a way that’s not craziness … and… if he can get Frank Clark back under an amenable contract structure… and… if he can get Carlos Dunlap back in the fold… and… and… and. You get the idea.
I would think that many of these players would want to come back and give the “Chiefs dynasty” deal a chance… and give themselves a chance to see if they can be apart of it all.
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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