Kansas City Chiefs 2010 Mock Draft

While I am usually opposed to playing in the hypothetical world of mock drafts, it is intriguing to explore what talent is available to Kansas City in the 2010 draft, and where in the draft progression said talent may be available.

Therefore, I bring you my first Kansas City Chiefs mock draft.

Please note that, especially in the later rounds, the picks are subject to personal preference and will not represent the views of the Chief’s front office to perfection. Despite my sometimes psychic ability, I cannot summon a vision of the Kansas City draft board.

Round 1, Pick 5: Bryan Bulaga, Offensive Tackle (Iowa)

I doubt both Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen go in the top four picks. This means that offensive tackle Russell Okung will not fall to Kansas City at the five spot.

Instead, the team opts for a relative “sure thing.” As no player is guaranteed to pan out and many teams take risks on players with high potential, here the Chiefs grab a player with seemingly low-potential, but high pro-readiness.

Bulaga’s technique has been refined by Iowa head coach and friend of Scott Pioli, Kirk Ferentz. Bulaga may have little room for improvement, but comes into the pros a capable starter who may achieve pro bowl status sporadically throughout his career.

The popular speculation is to move Branden Albert to guard or right tackle, but I believe there will be open competition for the left tackle spot and regardless, two players of this caliber will upgrade the offensive line dramatically.

This is a Scott Pioli guy, an unglamorous pick that may have an under-the-radar positive effect.

Round 2, Pick 4: Devin McCourty, Cornerback (Rutgers)

This is a pick I haven’t seen anywhere else. However, with speculation surrounding the inability of Brandon Carr to keep his starting spot this selection makes sense.

McCourty can challenge to start opposite Brandon Flowers, but can immediately contribute as a nickel back and on special teams. The securing of McCourty in the nickel package means Maurice Legget can officially move to safety.

McCourty is touted as the best corner outside of Kyle Wilson and Joe Haden. He can also handle kick return duties.

Most of all, Flowers was a corner who dropped into the top half of the second round and I think there’s excellent value in taking a corner in that part of a draft.

The Rutgers product has a knack for blocking kicks (4 in his career), and is better at passes in front of him than covering his man deep (a total opposite of Carr), which lends his play to covering the slot in nickel formations.

With Hall of Famer Emmitt Thomas now the secondary coach in Kansas City I would like to see some young secondary talent come in to be honed.

Round 2, Pick 18: Jimmy Graham, Tight End (Miami)

Kansas City has had good luck with basketball players turned tight end. Tony Gonzalez recently appeared on NFL Network to illustrate how basketball skills transfer to the gridiron.

Graham is a raw talent with only one year of football experience. However, his work ethic cannot be questioned as he caught passes last summer from Bernie Kosar to prepare for the sport.

Watching Graham at the combine he looked fluid catching the ball. He caught like a wide receiver and is talented enough to step in as a day one starter since Kansas City lacks consistent talent at the tight end position.

Known as an “enforcer” on the basketball court, some question his toughness as a blocker. However, with the nature of the tight end position evolving, this may be a moot point.

Round 3, Pick 4: Jordan Shipley, Wide Receiver (Texas)

A popular choice among Kansas City fans around the time of the college football national championship game, Shipley has fallen out of favor in recent mocks.

Shipley is a sure-handed, effective route runner with high football intelligence who was the favorite target of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.

The knock on Shipley is he will never be an eye-popping playmaker, but if consistent, reliable, mid-range chunks of yards are needed from a reliable receiver, Shipley is the guy.

While he may never break the starting lineup as a top-two receiver, Shipley is an immediate contributor with a long career of steady production ahead of him as a slot receiver.

Round 4, Pick 4: Jamar Chaney, Linebacker (Mississippi State)

Chaney might be a bit of a reach here, but the player has strong value. After red-shirting to get an extra senior year because of a season missed because of a broken leg, Chaney stepped up with 90 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions.

Chaney may lack ideal strength in the middle of the line backing corps, but he is a solid tackler with great pass coverage skills and with coaching can utilize his speed to blitz up the middle.

He is smart enough to play any linebacker position and posted the best 40 time of any linebacker at the combine and was defensive MVP of the Senior Bowl.

With Brandon Spikes dropping due to slow 40 times, I believe Chaney will outshine many of his peers as a rotational linebacker with a chance of breaking the starting lineup.

Round 5, Pick 5: Myron Rolle, Safety (Florida State)

Grab the Rhodes Scholar! How can you not root for this guy? Rolle took a year off from football to accept his Rhodes scholarship.

What the man may lack in ideal athleticism he will make up for in intelligence and team leadership.

Where Rolle seems better than many options at safety is his ability to balance playing the pass with a penchant for coming up in run support. It’s hard to classify Rolle as simply an “in the box,” or “coverage” safety as he does both well if not exceptionally.

Round 5, Pick 11: Shelley Smith, Guard (Colorado State)

A highly athletic guard who caught my attention with crisp footwork at the combine, Smith lacks ideal height and arm length to play tackle and has flown under the radar at guard.

In speaking with a former Nebraska Cornhusker about Will Shields and his time at the university I was informed that Shields lacked upper-body strength, but it was his ability to move his feet more quickly than anyone else and keep his body in front of a pass rusher that helped him excel.

Smith showed the same ability at the combine.

If that isn’t enough, the player didn’t allow a single sack and wasn’t whistled for a single penalty in his nine games last year.

Round 5, Pick 13: Blair White, Wide Receiver (MIchigan State)

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding White of late. A physically strong wide receiver who lacks ideal speed, but has good size who has overachieved at every level.

The walk-on at Michigan State became a team captain and has shown great hands with a nose for the end zone.

Once projected to go around Round Six, White has slowly worked his way up draft boards and may not be available at this selection.