Kansas City Chiefs Draft: Durablilty Is The Key

Well, Scott Pioli isn't so hard to figure out after all.

Do you know the feeling one gets when they finally understand the thought process of another human being? It becomes a revelation.

Like one of those proverbial "Oh now I get it." this year's draft has taught us all exactly what Pioli is about. "Poilism 101" if you will.

Here is a man who most values leadership and character first and talent second. That's what he believes. That's the way he thinks. And finally, that is now the way every Chief fan thinks. We finally "get it." Our erudition is complete

Interested in a particular player or free agent for the Chiefs? What should we look for first? Yes, you guessed it. If you are not a leader and an unselfish teammate, good luck and goodbye.

But what is the etiology of Piolism? I guess that's a esoteric question one could ask. There may be a myriad of answers.

Overall, I am not really happy with this draft, but then again I rarely am. One red flag I noticed that ran throughout this process. A common denominator

Injury prone players

That is what concerns me the most. At least three Chiefs picks may have a great deal of difficulty staying healthy and that's a concern. As one scout described tight end Tony Moeaki.

"Good receiver and great blocker, just don't expect to get more than eight games a season out of him."

Well, let's hope this doesn't become an issue. If it does, this team could be in a lot of trouble.

Having said that, I think Pioli answered my question of how do you "catch up" to the talent level of other teams.

Draft big playmakers. Go for the home run. Hit one out of the park.

1) ERIC BERRY

This pick is what everyone expected and what every fan wanted and that's very important when you consider the potential of alienating the Chief fan base. Berry was a step in the right direction. McClain was my guy (not a reach after all), and one can argue that Okung could have been Cassel's favorite pick and best friend. 

Berry is a big time talent. Problem is, he can't do it all. If Chief defensive lineman and linebackers struggle to shed the blocks of 190 lb scatbacks it might be "Berry to the rescue" time maybe a little bit TOO much.

This is a team sport and for Berry to be effective, his teammates will have to contribute as well. He can't make all the tackles and all the big plays, but its nice to see they got what they needed. 

2) DEXTER MCCLUSTER

Mixed feelings on Dexter. First of all, this guy is a running back plain and simple. They may project him in the slot, but when all is said and done this is a backfield guy. Huge games against top competition like Tennessee (284 yards rushing) and LSU (180 yards). He looked good in the slot in college, but that was with defensive backs giving him a 15 yard cushion.

But, you have to wonder if he can stay healthy. He's 172 lbs. He played last year at 165. Not too many guys that size get drafted at the top of Round 2. He is exciting though and is a threat to score every time the ball is in his hands and I'm sure the Chiefs will find ways of doing that. He's very elusive, but only ran a 4.53 at the Combine. He also had shoulder surgery.

2) JAVIER ARENAS

Top Pioli guy. Unselfish team player and a true winner and warrior. Pioli couldn't pass on Arenas even though cornerback was not the teams top priority. Arenas is short and not very fast, but he's smart and is a threat as a nickel corner and return man. Some have compared him to Ronde Barber. To me, he's more like Antoine Winfield.

He has a stocky build with very powerful legs which enable him to breaking tackles on returns. He also is a lot like Brandon Flowers in run support. I think without a doubt those two are the best run defenders on this team.

3) JOHN ASAMOHA

Here is an interesting guy. Scouts vary on their opinions. He is truly a study in contrasts.

He plays mean and nasty, but he lacks power. He has great pulling ability and can get downfield on the sweep, except he lacks balance and sometimes trips over his own feet before he reaches his target. He is very intelligent and is quick to see the blitz, but lacks the quickness to be effective against it. He has the ability to bend at the waist, but plays stiff.

 No matter how you view him he's still has potential, and I think is an excellent pick. By the way, he's not a right tackle. If anything, he's more of a center.

3) TONY MOEAKI

Another ironic pick. Many scouts believe that he is the best combination of receiver/blocker in this draft. He has good hands and can catch in stride and is a terrific blocker, maybe the best in this draft. Problem is, the guy is always hurt. Durability is and may continue to be an issue with him. He has had sustained injuries dealing with the wrist, elbow, foot, ankle, calf, hamstring, and head. We'll see. They traded up for him before that big run on tight ends in round four.

5) KENDRICK LEWIS

 Here is a kid who is tall and lean. He's built like a corner. He can't be considered a strong safety, but that's where he has to play, in the box, because he has very poor coverage skills. It's so bad, he can't even cover slot receivers, and he's not really a centerfielder either.

In other words: special teams. They had too many needs at offensive tackle, nose tackle, and linebacker to be taking this guy. I suggested a few weeks ago that they should trade down one of their five's for three seventh rounders. In retrospect, I feel even more strongly now looking back.

5) CAMERON SHEFFIELD

Well, he was at least the best pass rushing prospect at this point but he has limitations. To me, he's too massive in the thighs. Muscle bound guys below the waist really have problems moving and I could see him missing a lot of tackles at linebacker, even more so than Tamba Hali. He was at his best at defensive end. He may make the transition to rush backer and might even project inside

 With no picks in round six and seven you would expect Pioli and Haley could get a jump start ahead of the other teams in the league to find non drafted players when it came to hitting the phones. I expected more.

Yes, it is unselfish play and "team first" players Pioli is looking for, and the draft followed true in his image.

Let's hope a few were drafted for their talent as well.

An important part of the equation.