So many writers seem to use this time of year to write about their team’s Mount Rushmore picks: the four best franchise members ever. Instead, today, I’d like to have a little fun and do the opposite: choose the four players who were the worst picks ever… for the Chiefs in this case. I’ll give you two different lists. One with the four worst ever Chiefs draft picks (performers)… and the second list will be dedicated to the bad picks that have been made in the past 10 to 20 years, players who’s bad performances have had a deleterious effect on this team here and now, this year (or in recent years).
Instead of going for a Mount Rushmore name, I’ve chosen something that hits a little closer to home: The New Madrid “Fault” (fault… as in, it’s your fault we haven’t done very well for the past ten years). By the way, did you know that the largest earthquake in US history was in Missouri while the biggest tornado was in California. Just a little bird food for thought. It also seems appropriate to make this list the day following the Supplemental Draft, a day when many were hoping the Chiefs could right what many perceive as a wrong in the 2018 draft: no corners.
When a GM makes a pick in the draft and more times than not, that player doesn’t turn out to be the next Derrick Johnson… much less the next Chris Conley… because they’re keyed into the “value-game” on draft day. Value, determined by how a player compares vs another prospect. While they want to receive value back on their investment of a pick in the draft, what’s often missing is the accurate projection of how that prospect will progress and perform over the next decade… of course which is improbable to determine if not impossible… and the reason why so many picks are a wash.
Yesterday, we learned a little about what Chiefs GM Brett Veach was willing to give up in next year’s draft for a player he could have had now. That may not be so telling about the quality of those prospects as it is about how Veach values his draft capital vs how other GMs value theirs.
In any event, let’s have some fun today by looking back at our favorite… ahem… un-favorite… Chiefs draft picks, and how they may have thrown a monkey into the wrench for those Chiefs teams — that year — who just so happened to call their names on draft day.
My All Time New Madrid Fault Busts
4. Percy Snow – Snow was the player drafted number one by the Chiefs in 1990, #13 overall, the year after they picked Derrick Thomas, 4th overall. He had a good rookie year but the next training camp suffered a career threatening knee injury as the result of a scooter accident. His colossal screw-up whipped out the possibility of the Chiefs developing one of he best Linebacking corps in the league and then… who knows how many sacks DT could have had with another linebacker taking care of business behind him? Chiefs fan’s hope went from frenzy to fizzle in one stupid mishap.
2. TE Willie Scott – Scott was taken in the first round with the 14th pick overall out of South Carolina in the 1981 draft. Scoot played for the Chiefs for 5 seasons and averaged 14 catches per year will hauling 153 years per season. At 6-foot-4 inches tall and weighing in at 245 pounds, Scott underwhelmed in every way. The Chiefs could have drafted several players who went on to have Hall of Fame careers namely: Mike Singletary, Howie Long, Rickey Jackson, Russ Grimm and 20 other players who made it to a Pro Bowl, while Willie Scott did not.
1. QB Todd Blackledge – one of the biggest woulda-coulda-shoulda pick in the history of the NFL. I’ll not name all the picks the Chiefs could have picked (Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Bruce Matthews, Darrell Green) but it’s enough to know that the names who shaped a decade of performing in the 1980’s and early 1990’s was done for other teams while the fate of the Chiefs franchise floundered helplessly until Marty Schottenheimer arrived years later.
Now For My Recent New Madrid “Fault” Busts
4. CB KeiVarae Russel – Russel was chosen in 2016 in the 3rd round with the 74th pick in the draft. He played exactly zero regular season snaps for the Chiefs and is currently pursuing a career in Cincinnati. When a team cuts their 3rd round pick before they see what he can do in big boy pants… he must be bad. One question then arrises: why did the Chiefs get it so wrong and draft him at all? The other more bothering question is, who could they have gotten that would have made a difference in the 3rd round? Answers: QB Dak Prescott, WR Pharoh Cooper, and OLB Joe Schobert have all made a Pro Bowl already. There were also plenty of others who could have helped and the void is an obvious breach in the roster.
3. ILB Nico Johnson – was a bust from day one as far as I’m concerned. I recall reseasrching his snaps and found that he wasn’t even a full time starter for Alabama. It was that Crimson Tidal wave emotion that came over John Dorsey to pick someone who he hoped could play, but he had no proof that Nico Johnson could play.
2. Ryan Sims – the 2002 Chiefs head coach that year was Dick Vermeil. His offense was destined to be one of the best in the league, eventually. They went 13-3 the next seasons, in 2003. While Vermeil was an offensive genius, his approach to defense always left something to be desired and Sims was proof of that failing. You can also impart some of the blame on GM Carl Peterson as well. King Carl would sometimes lock onto a player and “H” or high water wasn’t going to detach him from that pick. Had Sims turned out to be good at all, the Chiefs could have held onto him and perhaps won when it counted, in the playoffs. Sims was the 6th pick in the 2002 draft and hailed as one of the best DL in the draft. Vermeil could have taken, Dwight Freeney, Albert Haynesworth, or John Henderson: all player taken in the 9 pick following Sims. Sims averaged 12.8 tackles per year and less than one sack per season over 5 seasons with the Chiefs.
1. WR Jonathan Baldwin – the Chiefs really flubbed up by drafting Jonathan Baldwin in 2011. I recall being personally convinced that the Chiefs had made the right pick but there was nothing about this Baldwin that ended up indicating he was a winner. I say, “this Baldwin” because the Chiefs could have either drafted (or signed as a UDFA) WR Doug Baldwin who appears to be having a nice career in Seattle. There were 15 other players, so far, who have made it to a Pro Bowl who were drafted after Jonathan Baldwin (I say “so far” because many of the players from that draft are still in play and may yet make a Pro Bowl). Baldwin was eventually traded to the 49ers for another losing draft pick, A.J. Jenkins, and Baldwin has now been out of the league since 2014. What makes matters a little worse in regards to Baldwin is, the day he was drafted, the Chiefs were slated to pick at #27, but since the Baltimore Ravens who were picking directly in front of the Chiefs, didn’t get their pick turned in on time, the Chiefs went ahead of them and viola… they chose Jonathan Baldwin. Lucky us.
If you’ve ever wondered why the Chiefs history since the 1960s isn’t littered with Championships, look no further than these lists above. This post is not meant to be mean spirited or hateful. It’s simply suggested as a light and airy fun process. So, let us know if there was a most regrettable draft pick for you by the Chiefs… or go ahead and give your four full blown New Madrid “Fault” picks.
Go Slap-Happy and let’s hear it. Go Chiefs!
If you are viewing this in Apple News and would like to join the Discussion, [GO HERE.](http://arrowheadone.com/four-chiefs-new-madrid-fault-picks/#disqus_thread)
…
…
…
Laddie Morse I know that Halloween was a couple of weeks ago, but since 13…
Laddie Morse I will say right up front, that it appears to me that both…
Laddie Morse Here's the "Pick a Little Talk a Little" song off of the Music…
Laddie Morse Chiefs 16, Broncos 14 I have relatives in the Denver area and I'm…
Laddie Morse The Kansas City Chiefs will be shooting for a 9-and-0 record today and…
Laddie Morse Playoff Picture We’ve technically reached the half way point of the 2024 NFL…