Drafting New Chiefs:
The Four Round Fix
Laddie Morse
With the 82nd Annual NFL Draft coming up in Philadelphia on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 27th, 28th and 29th, the Kansas City Chiefs have the opportunity to not only fill some holes on the roster but select some prospects who could make their way into the starting lineup in their rookie season. In the first four rounds, Fanspeak has the Chiefs picking at 27, 59, 91, 104 and 131. If the organization is going to take — “One Giant Leap for Mankind” and the team — then they must take advantage of the first four rounds of this draft (we won’t know for sure what the actual drafting order is until the day before the draft and even then it’s likely to chance once the drafting itself begins because of all the trades that take place on draft day). I’ve been studying college prospects for six months and performing mock drafts since early December at websites such as First-Pick and Fanspeak/On The Clock so, here’s a mock I did that came up roses for the K.C. Chiefs. This one was done at Fanspeak and the settings I chose were for CBS big board rankings and Fanspeak’s team needs. With that said, here’s how this draft turned out.
Pick 27- RB Dalvin Cook
Florida State, 5-11, 213
Dalvin Cook can be a transcendent running back. He is the best running back in this year’s draft but he could be the best back in last ten years. I say “could be” because Cook has the ability but it doesn’t always show up on tape. Highlight reels are fun to watch but so was De’Anthony Thomas highlight tapes too… and DAT had the best I’ve ever seen at the college level for a running back, as far as speed and quickness go. Dalvin Cook’s has skills and his jump cut is excellent but I don’t see the leg strength or bubble (the gluteus) that usually accompanies players with those kinds of abilities.
Statistics
Evaluation
Junior Dalvin Cook’s numbers are as good as any running back’s numbers to ever come out of college. His nearly 5,400 yards from scrimmage (that’s 1,800 yards from scrimmage per season for three years) tells a good part of his story but are those yards… too many? His 766 carries and receptions added together are not far from the Larry Johnson stratosphere of touches in 2005 and 2006 when LJ had 366 and 457 and after that his career declined rapidly. While Dalvin Cook’s total touches may be a good thing to monitor going forward, any team who selects him will have to wonder about his injuries.
Medical Issues
Dalvin Cook has overcome a lot of injuries. Lance Zierlein at NFL.com reports that,
“… because of the hamstring issues he had throughout the 2015 season and the three shoulder surgeries he’s had since high school. Cook tore his rotator cuff in high school, then tore the front part of his labrum in 2014, and the back part of the labrum in 2016.”
So, teams will want to know if Cook can withstand the NFL grind from day one. That’s one reason Cook could fall in the draft.
Legal Issues
Does Dalvin Cook have off-field questions? It’s too bad, but yes. NFL Analyst Tony Pauline says of Dalvin Cook,
“In 2015, Cook was accused of punching a woman in the face outside a Tallahassee bar. He was charged and found not guilty of misdemeanor battery a few months later. Cook also received a citation during his time at FSU for a violation of animal care. He allegedly left three pit bull puppies chained up by the neck outside, with some choking.”
John Dorsey would have some “splainin”-to-do” if he took Dalvin Cook but with the way the Chiefs have been taking in the world’s ne’er-do-well-offenders lately, there is a chance Cook could end up a wolf-in-Chiefs-clothing.
So, why should John Dorsey even consider Cook? Well, Dalvin Cook is a game changer. He could make the Chiefs offensive line look good. I know the Chiefs have OL issues of their own but I believe they are better at run blocking than they are at pass blocking so Cook wouldn’t have to work too hard to look good in red and gold. However, his coach has called him an, “Incredible player, incredible athlete and the best running back in Florida State history.”
Ex-Florida State RB Warrick Dunn held the team’s career rushing record for 20 years with 3,919 yards. Cook ended up with 4,464 rushing yards. So, there are those who believe Dalvin Cook will go in the top ten of the coming draft but there is also enough reasons to think he could fall as far as pick #27, where the Chiefs will select. The Chiefs need a running back in any event but if they can draft a difference maker who can help force defenses to play the run honestly when Alex Smith uses the play-action pass… it could make all the difference in the world in how the offensive line looks in 2017 too. Here’s a highlight reel of Dalvin Cook.
Pick 59- TE Evan Engram
Ole Miss, 6-3, 227
Evan Engram is not a true tight end. He’s also not a wide receiver. However, he can serve as both but, that’s not the best thing about Evan Engram because he’s a playmaker with great hands. He very likely has better hands right now than Chiefs All-Pro TE Travis Kelce. More importantly, the presence of Evan Engram would give QB Alex Smith another sure fire target over the middle and another player that DBs and LBs will not be able to cover. Put a defensive back on him and Engram goes over the top. Place a linebacker on him and Engram loses him with his moves and 4.64 40 speed (he’s also run a 4.54 and you can expect to see him run under 4.6 at the combine). In other words, Evan Engram is a mismatch made in heaven — or that other place down there — if you have to face him. Pair Engram with Travis Kelce and watch defensive coordinators heads explode before your eyes. Evan Engram is a first round talent stuck in a tweener’s body. Here’s hoping the Chiefs like tweeners.
Evan Engram’s Statistics
While Evan Engram had a breakout year in 2016, it can be found in his tape, that’s where the real story is told. Dane Brugler of CBS Sports has this to say about Engram:
“Engram is an above-average athlete for his size, with sudden release off the line of scrimmage to quickly enter his route and sit down in soft spots underneath. His agile feet and fluid change-of-direction skills allow him to make smooth adjustments, twist his body and pluck the ball.
Engram has natural ballskills to make tough catches look easy, using his long arms to extend and snag even when blanketed by defenders. He averaged only 12.2 yards per catch last season, but flashes the balance and toughness as a ballcarrier to burst through tackle attempts.”
Although teams will want to take a more traditional tight end in the first round, if Evan Engram is still there late in the second, John Dorsey could very well snag him. Here’s highlight tape on Evan Engram.
Here’s Evan Engram talking during Senior Bowl week. He’s such a likable guy!
Pick 91- OG Dion Dawkins
Temple, 6-5, 324
Every now and then a player comes along and I get excited about that player. In 2017, Dion Dawkins is that player. This is what NFLDraftScout had to say about Dion Dawkins during Senior Bowl week,
“A college left tackle, Dawkins lined up almost exclusively at left guard during the week [Senior Bow week] and performed very well. There are definitely some mechanical issues he needs to clean up, but rushers were simply unable to get past him due to foot quickness, power and a nasty edge. Dawkins looked very comfotable at the new position this week.”
Dane Brugler wrote this analysis and he covered everything I wanted to highlight about Dawkins: his quick feet, nasty edge and he doesn’t let anyone past him. In fact, out of all the tape I watched on him, he blocked is man through the end of every play and didn’t go wandering around down field like he was lost and looking for some to block. Watch tape on him and you’ll be excited to see him too. In this tape Dawkins is playing LT and wearing #66.
Pick 104- CB Damontae Kazee
San Diego State, 5-11, 174
I’ve written about Damontae Kazee previously and if he happens to fall to the end of the third round when the Chiefs get a compensatory pick, I’m hoping John Dorsey runs the card up to the commissioner himself to select this underated player. Here’s what I said one month ago about Damontae Kazee:
“If you’re wondering if I have come across a steal in the upcoming draft, the answer is yes. He’s a Corner Back from San Diego State and his name is Damontae Kazee and he goes 5-foot-11, 190. Here’s a video of Kazee and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He reminds me a little of Eric Berry in college but Kazee has had 15 INTs in the past two seasons. DraftTek has Kazee ranked 105 overall and CBS Sports has him at ranked at 150. I say he’s a second round talent if not higher. I once saw him intercept three passes in a game… and now you can see it too. While Kazee is excellent in coverage he’s equally good against the run and likes to come up and pop runners behind the line of scrimmage if they dare run to his side of the field. Some players have a lot of talent but it needs to be shaped. Some players have talent and are already rounding into shape before they get drafted: that’s Damontae Kazee. Here are his stats. He’s the first player that I have gotten truly excited about in this upcoming draft. Here’s more reading on Kazee: San Diego State’s GoAztecs.com publicity on Damontae Kazee, enjoy!”
Pick 131- OLB Hunter Dimick
Utah, 6-3, 272
Although Hunter Dimick played mostly DE, I see him as a young Tamba Hali and he appears to have the athletic ability to convert, as Hail did, to OLB. DraftTek has Dimick ranked as the 19th best Edge Rusher in this draft but if you watch tape on him you’ll see his obvious discipline, athletic maneuverability, strength to set the edge and create pressure on the QB consistently. From a piece by a Kyle Goon in the Salt Lake Tribune, Goon writes,
“The 23-year-old, 6-foot-3, 272-pound lineman has spent his career being the wingman to Nate Orchard, Kylie Fitts and Lowell Lotulelei, among others. But after resetting the program’s single-game sack record against Arizona State and one sack from being the sole holder of the program’s all-time record (he is now tied with John Frank at 27), Dimick is the spotlight performer of Utah’s defense — a spot he probably always deserved.”
CBS Sports has Hunter Dimick listed as their 14th best defensive end and the 156th best overall prospect. I still say he’s better than that. Also from the piece by Goon, he reveals this about Dimick,
“Stories about Dimick have been trickling out this week about how he’s an obsessively healthy eater, or how he jokes with fellow end Pita Taumoepenu on every down that they’ll “meet in the back.”
Obsessively compulsive eater and meeting in the back… sounds like a man of my own heart. I used to recall talking up the idea that Hali and Houston would, “meet in the back” and crunch them some QBs. I think Dimick is special and I hope he doesn’t go unnoticed at One Arrowhead Way.
Here’s a video that a fan took while analyzing three of Hunter Dimick’s moves — which just happen to be three plays in a row — to get to the UCLA quarterback. Dimick already looks like he has more moves than Dee Ford and he hasn’t even played a down of NFL football yet.
If you enjoyed that little breakdown of Hunter Dimick’s moves, you’ll love his highlight reel below. I have noticed a tendency for many prospects out west to get ignored and I believe that’s exactly what has happened here. National pundits have fallen asleep on Dimick. Here’s hoping John Dorsey and his boys are wide awake. In the case of Hunter Dimick, I don’t understand why he isn’t considered a first or second — at the lowest — round talent?