Kansas City Chiefs Draft Needs, Part Three: Wide Receiver

New Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has one request of GM Scott Pioli for this April's draft...a playmaking wide receiver.

Most Chiefs fans and virtually every mock draft out there currently have the Chiefs selecting tackle Russell Okung with the fifth overall selection because of the 45 sacks the team allowed last season.

While Okung could definitely provide a boost for the Chiefs offensive line, the real question is whether the line is really the key to reducing the team's sacks allowed.

Last season, when quarterback Matt Cassel had wide receivers Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers to throw to, the team only allowed 1.4 sacks per game.

In games where Cassel only had one of those two to throw to, he was sacked 3.5 times per game, including four games where he was sacked five times.

In fact, Cassel wasn't just sacked less, but all his numbers improved significantly with both Bowe and Chambers.

Cassel's numbers with Bowe and Chambers:
56.9-completion percentage
239.2-passing yards per game
6.87-yards per attempt
1 interception every 43.5 passes

Cassel's numbers without Bowe and/or Chambers:
53.9-completion percentage
172.8-passing yards per game
5.42-yards per attempt
1 interception every 26.6 passes

With the status of Chambers up in the air, as he is a free agent, the Chiefs must address wide receiver in this draft. Even if the Chiefs re-sign Chambers, both Weis and head coach Todd Haley desperately want a playmaking receiver in the Wes Welker or Troy Brown mold to play in the slot.

Here is a list of potential candidates whom the Chiefs will look for in this year's draft, which is thin in first-round talent but is fairly deep with guys that can help this team in the second and third rounds.

Round One, Pick Five (Option One): Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant, who played in just three games this season before being indefinitely suspended, is the only consensus first-round talent in this year's wide receiver class.

The 6'2" and 215 pound Bryant is blessed with the size and playmaking abilities that NFL scouts drool over. Many believed Bryant was robbed after his sophomore campaign, losing the Biletnikoff Award to Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree even though Bryant put up better numbers.

As a sophomore, Bryant matched Crabtree's 19 receiving touchdowns, but surpassed him in receiving yards (1,480 to 1,165) and yards per catch (17.0 to 12.0).

And while it will take their top pick to get Bryant, they would not only fill a need at wide receiver but also at punt returner. During the 2008 season, in addition to being an All-American at wide receiver and Biletnikoff finalist, he was also the Big 12's Special Teams Player of the Year.

As the Cowboys' punt returner in '08, he returned two punts for touchdowns and averaged 17.9 yards per return.

A group including Bowe, Chambers, and Bryant would be Charlie Weis' dream come true and would instantly give the Chiefs the best receiving corps in the AFC West. Bryant could do for the Chiefs what Percy Harvin was able to do for the Vikings this season.

Round Two, Pick Four (Option One): Golden Tate, Notre Dame

One player with whom Charlie Weis is intimately familiar is Notre Dame's biggest playmaker the past two seasons, Golden Tate.

This season's Biletnikoff winner, Tate caught 93 balls for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Irish this season. Whereas Bryant has the size to play outside in the NFL, Tate is built better for the slot at 5'11" and 195 pounds.

Tate is fast (4.4 in the 40 yard dash) and is willing to work the middle of the field, making acrobatic plays in traffic. He, like Bryant, can also be used in the return game having returned both punts and kicks for the Irish.

While many mock drafts have Tate being drafted late in the first round, if there are runs by teams at deeper positions like defensive and offensive tackle, it's possible he could slip to the Chiefs' first pick in the second round.

If he does fall to pick four in round two, and the Chiefs haven't used their first pick on Bryant, then expect them to grab Tate.

Round Two, Pick Four (Option Two): Jordan Shipley, Texas

Projecting Jordan Shipley this high might not make sense for other teams, but it could make all the sense in the world for the Chiefs.

Even though the Chiefs would really like to see him fall to them with the 18th pick in the second round, he may be an even better fit for the slot receiver spot in Weis' offense than both Bryant and Tate.

Quarterback Colt McCoy's favorite target the past two years, Shipley caught a Texas record 116 passes this season for the Longhorns. With elusive quickness and sharp route running skills, Shipley reminds many scouts of New England's Welker.

Shipley is also not afraid to get hit after the catch, and is at his best catching balls over the middle. Also an accomplished return man the last two seasons, Shipley scored four touchdowns on 19 kick and 72 punt returns.

Round Two, Pick Four (Option Three): Brandon LaFell, LSU

Emerging from the shadows of former Tigers Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet is LSU's Brandon LaFell.

LaFell, in addition to having NFL size at 6'3" and 206 pounds, arguably has better hands than Bowe and Doucet. That should automatically earn him some fans in Kansas City where they have painfully endured Bowe's problems with drops.

However, unlike the other receivers I have rated above him, LaFell won't help the Chiefs much in the return game. He returned just one kick for 10 yards during his career in Baton Rouge.

LaFell has provided consistent enough production in the Tigers' offense for the Chiefs to take a hard look at him in the second round. Despite issues at quarterback the past three seasons, LaFell amassed 170 catches for 2,377 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Round Two, Pick 18 (Option One): Damian Williams, USC

Southern Cal's leader in receptions the past two seasons, Damian Williams caught 70 balls for 1,010 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2009, including a terrific bowl game performance (12 catches for 189 yards) against Boston College.

The senior wide receiver also returned 44 punts for 340 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Trojans this season, earning First-Team All-Pac-10 honors at both receiver and punt returner.

Like Shipley, the 6'1" and 195 pound Williams is an effective receiver over the middle who's not afraid to take a hit.

Round Two, Pick 18 (Option Two): Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati

After catching seven balls for just 41 yards against Florida in this year's Sugar Bowl, Mardy Gilyard's draft stock may have taken a hit.

As a receiver in the Bearcats' high-powered offense the past three seasons, the 6'1" and 180 pound Gilyard caught 204 passes for 3,003 yards and 25 touchdowns. Also a punt and kick returner, Gilyard brought back three kicks for touchdowns this past season.

After his troubles getting off the line of scrimmage against the Gators, and the fact that he was merely average against better opponents in 2009, NFL scouts are wondering if he'll be able to shake NFL corners.

Of course, Gilyard could likely fill the Chiefs slot role and return punts, but he may or may not be better than a guy like Bobby Wade who is already on the roster.

Round Two, Pick 18 (Option Three): Arrelious Benn, Illinois

A preseason All-American, Illinois' Arrelious Benn was the victim of nagging injuries and bad quarterback play in 2009. He finished his career with 159 receptions for 2,221 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Ranked as the second-best receiver by ESPN expert Mel Kiper, it was really hard to tell based upon the junior's '09 stats. At 6'2" and 220 pounds, Benn has great NFL size and could be drafted as high as the late first round, or as late as the end of round two.

Benn's performance at the NFL combine in February will be critical to him in where he ends up being drafted in April.

Round Three, Pick Five (Option One): Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas

Kansas junior wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe enters the NFL Draft as the most accomplished Jayhawks receiver in the school's history.

In his three seasons in Lawrence, Briscoe shattered the school's previous records for yardage (2,266) and touchdowns (17) with 218 catches for 3,240 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also had 13 games with at least 100 yards receiving.

A big-play receiver, Briscoe played his best in big games. He had his best game in a 2008 loss to Oklahoma with 12 receptions for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns.

With good size (6'3" and 200 pounds), Briscoe and his knack for making big plays could be a good catch for the Chiefs here in the third round.

Round Three, Pick Five (Option Two): Danario Alexander, Missouri

Missouri's Danario Alexander may not have been on the radar of many NFL teams heading into his senior season.

Of course, that's understandable having played alongside former first-round pick Jeremy Maclin and All-American tight end Chase Coffman. After Maclin and Coffman, there weren't too many passes available to catch until this season.

In 2009, Alexander put up a monster year as the Tigers top receiver, in spite of breaking in a new quarterback. The 6'5" and 215 pound Alexander caught 113 passes for an NCAA-leading 1,781 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Alexander finished his career at Missouri with a vengeance, registering three 200 yard games in the Tigers last four conference games. His best game was against rival Kansas, when he caught 15 balls for 233 yards and a touchdown.

While not your prototypical slot receiver, the Chiefs could still do far worse than the productive Alexander. If they did draft Alexander, it's possible the Chiefs could move Chambers to the slot and put Alexander at split end opposite Bowe at flanker.

Best of the Rest: Round Three and Beyond

Round Three:

Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech
Eric Decker, Minnesota
Jeremy Williams, Tulane
Carlton Mitchell, South Florida

Beyond:

Riley Cooper, Florida
Jacoby Ford, Clemson
Kerry Meier, Kansas