Categories: David BellKansas City Chiefs

What I Really Want For Christmas — Er, April Fools Day!

What I Really Want For Christmas

— Er, April Fools Day…

by David Bell | November 25, 2018

… is to move it to a celebration on April Fools Day, ie, this is not a faith oriented Christmas but just having the fruits of winning and acquiring players when 2018 is in the books. Maybe it should have a song included, “When Fools Rush In” and the 2018 season we can use an oft played tune about, “walking through a storm with your head up high….”

That’s it. I want to celebrate the Chiefs having made it to and won the Super Bowl because I think this is possibly the outcome of the 2019 season. I think the Roster is basically solid and I know it needs additions.

I want the rest of the NFL to have suffered to this point. I want all the NFL pundits and experts who gave another team title to the AFC West, to suffer the slings and arrows of defeat. I want the NFL Offices in Manhattan to suffer as well. I am sick of them the same as I was sick of the NFL home offices and commissioner before the merger. I have said this many times in many venues. This is a look ahead, focusing on the Front 5 first and then my ILB of choice for round 2 or 3, strengthening the front 7 corp.

By April Fools Day, the draft will have occurred [Editor’s Note: the 2019 NFL Draft is April 25-27]. Here is what I envision from this draft.

Top Nose Tackle, or a 34 Defensive End or Both

The Chiefs own the right side of the front five. It is the hinge of effort that forces bad things to happen. OLB Dee Ford is having a pro-bowl type season. He is setting the edge, he is making tackles.. Ford is forcing opposing Quarterbacks to hurry, to make bad throws and he is making them body sore with last second hits when they are passing the ball — and he is getting sacks at the same time.

At 34 Defensive End we have seen what a monster year that Chris Jones has added. He also makes tackles, forces errors, gets in the face of opposing quarterbacks, and gets body contact, hurries and sacks.

In the Middle we have now had a season of growth and increasingly more solid play from Rookie Derrick Nnadi who is solid against the run and who is now drawing double teams up the middle. For a Rookie, Nnadi is fulfilling the basics of an NFL 1 gap NT. Nnadi is backed up by home grown Xavier Williams who ensures that Nnadi is not overloaded with snaps and who helps keep his own legs fresh for a different NT look to use on Defense.

On the left you have Allen Bailey who is quietly turning in a solid performance. Bailey is making plays and outside to the left is OLB Justin Houston who returned with vigor and force in the game against the Rams. Houston makes the front five extremely effective, containing plays and setting the edge, making tackles, gobbling up double teams which aid the efforts of his compadres and basically wreaks havoc on opposing offenses.

This is all good stuff. But I Want MORE!

Nose Tackle Derrick Brown of Auburn is just the right fit. Would that he would go late enough in the draft for Brett Veach to select him, at 6-4, 322, Brown is powerful at his point of attack, eats up blockers and is fast on his feet. To me, Brown is the best man for the middle and his size makes him a perfect 34 Nose Tackle. His 40 time was clocked at 4.95 seconds. Paired with Chris Jones and with Nnadi in the mix and another player at 34 DE. That’s because I think Bailey’s time is up in KC as they can get a top performing 34 DE to replace him and the cost of keeping him is drifting to high cost territory. Age is also a factor for Bailey who will be 30 in 2019.

If I can’t get Brown and I must get a top player for the NT position, how about one who can also play outside at 34 DE? As Ransom noted in his article, Raekwon Davis of Alabama probably has a good chance of being drafted in the top of the 2019 class as does Brown. Davis is 6-6, 316 with a 5.17 – 40 time but I understand he is now doing a sub-5.0 times in the 40. Another advantage that drafting him would be, he can play outside and inside on the front 3. In other words, he can be a 1 tech or a 5 tech type player and he has the feet, power and immovable nature that is needed anywhere on the front 3 of a 34 defense.

The next two: Christian Wilkins, NT Clemson who is 6-3, 312 and ready made size and strength for the NFL. He is projected in late round 1 or in round 2. Another Veach possibility as is Jerry Tillery, 6-4,-304 of Notre Dame. Tillery has a measured 40 time of 4.80.

My choice as with Chris Jones is to look at players slotted for the third round and that brings me back to Alabama and NT, due to the fact that the Crimson Tide plays Davis outside is NT: Isaiah Buggs. Buggs is 6-6, 314 so he is already at the playing weight for the NFL. Buggs was projected as a day 2 or 3 talent before the 2018 season started. Any player listed above and more are going to be worthy selections. I think at least 2 of them in the first round but this is a defense-rich draft as you can see, just by listing the players above.

This is just a short look at the front 5. The #3 and #4 OLBs are already in-house. With one draft pick, Veach can pull in an immediate starter. Again, I am thinking Allen Bailey can be the odd man out. I like Bailey… he could stick another season as we break a new player in but, I want a young book-end for Jones. A starter quality pick here can make the Chiefs front five a force that must be reckoned with.

Behind the Front 5: Inside Linebackers

I know, we have 5 players here that are already on the roster. We have Sutton’s defenses which don’t play for the Inside Linebacker position. Reggie Ragland, can hit the LoS, fend off blockers and make plays but he needs to be cut loose to do that. Anthony Hitchens has greater speed so if Sutton is using a standard stop the run ILB, then both of these players along with my predicted front five are solid. If we need speed then we have Dorian O’Daniel. If we need that smart, play-reader: Ben Niemann. Also in the mixer is Terrance Smith.

Question for myself? Will Veach draft a first round ILB? I doubt that but, I would try to pick: a player with speed, pass-coverage skill and who is still able to fend off blockers and make tackles in the hole. I want to take him in the 3rd round unless the apple of my eye is going to in the 2nd round and I believe he is a perfect match for need, personality and fit to the Chiefs ‘persona.’

For this, thinking round 3, I like Germaine Pratt, an NC State linebacker who is 6-2, 240 with a timed 40 at 4.55. Problem is, his stock is rising and Veach might have to make him a selection for round 2. Pratt is good in the interior, has the speed, fends off blockers to make tackles at the LoS, and is a good pass defense ILB. He is in other words, exactly the kind of addition which makes sense–at least to me. One thing that should be noted is that he was a safety-freshman-red-shirt… so he does have skill at pass defense. I think his limit is himself and he will be a very good ILB in the NFL. For the Chiefs? Pratt is the type of player who fits the Chiefs, is going to go in the draft in approximately the right round. The question will come down to his place on the draft board and whether he will be taken closer to pick #65 as opposed to #96.

More to follow. I will dig more into 2019, but this reflects what I think so far — and surely this will take a lot more research to be more granular. A Bye Week is a hiatus from the grind, so I went this way for your consideration. Add to it in the comments.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne

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David Bell

8 years farming the family farm, 31+ years Software Engineer, Mainframe Software, 12 year 3rd career - Counselor and Director for a Veteran Administration Contract Agency Assisting Veterans in Southwest Missouri. Amateur dabbler as an Author and fan of the Chiefs since the beginning. Go Chiefs!