Should the Chiefs Use a 2019 Draft Pick in the Supplemental Draft?

 

 

 

 

Should the Chiefs Use a 2019 Draft

Pick in the Supplemental Draft?

 

 · by Laddie Morse

 

 

 

The Kansas City Chiefs may well be planning on making a run at one of the three supplemental draft prospects:

• CB Sam Beal from Western Michigan
• CB Adonis Alexander from Virginia Tech
• Safety Brandon Bryant from Mississippi State University.

 

Before parading any further with this topic, you should know that it’s unusual, if not rare, for a prospect to be taken in the Supplemental draft. Teams don’t typically like giving up their draft picks in the coming year, so many players who come out in the middle of the summer like this often end up UDFAs who sign with the team of their choice. However, this year, allow me to give you some perspective via quotes I’ve come across about these three defensive backs:

 

•  He is [referring to Bryant] “one of Path to the Draft’s fastest and most freakish athletes in college football the past two years.” –Chase Goodbread of NFL.com
• While Bryant is widely considered the 3rd best prospect in the Supplemental draft, with only three participating, Terez Paylor interviewed several scouts who had this to say of CB Sam Beal: “Long and has some developmental press skill”… “He’s got speed, size, the ability to tackle” … “Beal is more sudden — he’s big, long and can run. He can tackle and he’s willing to do it” … “He’s the best one in the draft [meaning the Supplemental draft] and it’s not close.”
• A variety of unnamed scouts were also quoted by Terez Paylor about Adonis Alexander: “He’ll drop, but he’s a first-round talent [meaning the 1st round of the regular draft]. Someone will throw a 6 [round pick] or 7 [round pick] on him for the hell of it.” …  “He ran poorly but has ability — [4.6 – 40 yard-dash] he’s draft-able.” … “He’s got great ball skills — his patience and ability to go get it in the air is rare.”

 

Understanding that scouts have not only done their due diligence concerning these three DB prospects, but knowing that there are a high percentage of NFL teams who not only have needs in this arena but have also sent their organization’s dignitaries to view these prospects workouts — plus interview them personally — including the Chiefs… it’s safe to assume at least two of these three will have a team throw low round picks their way in hopes of landing a player who can eventually contribute to their team.

 

Safety Brandon Bryant

Stats: 5-foot-11, 207 lbs., 22-years old, 4.45 – 40 yard dash.

It would surprise me if Brett Veach spent a draft pick on Brandon Bryant. Not because Bryant isn’t worth the pick but because Veach has to weigh out whether or not there is a place on the roster for him? We Know Eric Berry, Daniel Sorenson, and Armani Watts are all highly likely to make the team this year. The question becomes, is the potential Veach & Co. sees in Bryant greater than the investment they’ve already made in Eric Murray who they see as an ascending Safety (not that I agree with that assessment of Murray) but that appears where the Chiefs are at with respect to Murray.

 

Consequently, I’m not going to spend time on a prosepct I beleive has little to no chance of ending up in red and gold.

 

 

Cornerback Sam Beal

Stats: 6-foot-1, 185 lbs., 22 years old in August.

From Shawn Spencer at FanSided’s NFLMocks.com, he writes,

 

“Sam Beal, a 2015 two-star recruit, started 24 of 36 career games at Western Michigan. He primarily lined up at right cornerback in the Broncos 4-3 defense.  He missed the regular season game against Akron in 2017 due to an undisclosed injury. As a junior in 2017, Beal recorded career-highs with 12 passes defended and two interceptions (2). His first career interception came in the 2017 season opener against USC’s Sam Darnold.”

 

 

 

 

Beal was a two-star recruit coming out of high school and is expected to run a 40-yard dash today at his workout so no time is listed… yet. Here he takes on TE Tyler Conklin who was drafted in the 5th round by the Minnesota Vikings.

 

 

 

 

Sam Beal is good at staying on a WR’s hip:

 

 

 

Complaints about Beal include his habit of being too grabby as a WR makes his way down the field. On the other hand, what CB do you know who doesn’t have that challenge and with the newest NFL rules, things will be tougher than ever for DBs. Another complaint about Sam Beal is his lack of INTs as he only has 2 INTs in his college career. Some think his hands could be better and while almost any new CB addition is going to be compared to Marcus Peters, this should not stop Brett Veach from making a move to get Beal if possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sam Beal has been called a “willing tackler” and that’s all Emmitt Thomas, All Harris and Bob Sutton need to know. Most of the rest of a CBs tackling skills can be taught within the context of the defensive scheme. However, since tackling is an offseason emphasis, it’s important to note that Beal doesn’t shy away from those moments. The question is not always found in the deep dive into a prospects performance but more, a look into the way Brett Veach may see that prospect. In Beals case, he’s a 6-foot-1 corner, the kind of corner John Dorsey and Andy Reid have been talking about stocking the Chiefs roster with ever since January of 2013.

 

Cornerback Adonis Alexander

Stats: 6-foot-2, 195 lbs., 4.59 – 40-yard dash, Bench Press – 9 reps, Vertical jump – 35.5″,  Broad Jump – 10′-4″

Adonis Alexander is a real to life adonis (Mythical Greek character: a youth of remarkable beauty). At 6-foot-2 inches tall, he is more the CB that Dorsey and Reid envisioned (physically) than Sam Beal. While his 40 time is not great, neither was Marcus Peters 40 time (4.53). The question for any defensive back is: can he adapt to the speed of any WR he’s facing. While Alexander may take a little more time to develop, if he does develop, I think he could end up having a better NFL career than Beal. 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes a particular play jumps out at you and catches your eye, and in that one play is displayed all the athleticism, balance, body-control and physical ability you want to see a player playing a specific position. For me that play is #2 above. Adonis Alexander makes an inside cut, jumps up to secure the ball for an INT while having the presence of mind to bring both feet dow in bounds, ballet style. Its a pretty impressive play. The numbers I’d be more concerned about are his, Short shuttle: 4.39 seconds, and his, Three-cone drill: 7.18 seconds. Those are not good numbers by any means (just ask Ransom). 

 

 

 

 

In an evaluation of Adonis Alexander at medium.com, writer Blake Hymel list’s his plusses as:

• Covers the deep ball,
• Stays mentally aware,
• Lays down big hits.

 

Hymel goes on to say that Alexander is not best at:

• Staying physical at the los,
• Covering the slant route,
• Tackling with discipline.

 

 

Although, Blake Hymel does go on to say he believes Alexander is worth a 4th round pick in the 2019 draft and that’s what he’d give this year, I’m not so sure. 

 

 

 

Prospects words are like the words of GMs in the three months before any draft: you just can’t trust everything your hearing. I’m not saying Alexander is lying by any stretch of the imagination, I’m sure he believes every word he said. However, can he be trusted to flip a switch and suddenly become a good student just because he’s turned pro? Once again, I’m not so sure. The only way to truly evaluate a prospect, is the tale of the tape. Draftbreakdown.com does a good job of showing you all the influential snaps a prospect was involved in during a game. 

 

 

 

 

Even though Alexander’s speed is not what you’d hope, he compounds the problem by not opening his hips and moving laterally on this last play. He attempts to turn his whole body and use his straight line speed to stay with the receiver on an inside slant. Although the play doesn’t net anything, it shows one of the challenges the Chiefs woudl face if they draft him. I’ll end my evaluation of Adonis Alexander with a positive play he made:

 

 

 

 

A Cautionary Conclusion

While the Chiefs appear to have done all they can do to scout and visit with these prospects, I’d be disappointed if they ended up offering anything more than a 4th round pick for either Beal or Alexander. I see Alexander as purely a developmental player and Beal as someone who could help out this season. I was at first impressed with Adonis Alexander’s size and athleticism but after watching him more and reading more about him, I’d go with Beal. I like Beal’s size as well and he could end up being a Pro-Bowl CB in the NFL.  I’ve never understood why… if a player is rated a 2nd round talent in the regular draft — that he’d not be considered to go any higher than the 4th round in the Supplemental draft? Oh the conundrums of life.  My first impression was to give up a 2nd round pick for Beal… and if he’s really that good, why not do it? At this point, if there is a GM to ever pull the trigger on a pick like this… it’s Brett Veach. By now, I will bow to the Veach-ness and will be glad with whatever he decides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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