Luke Joeckel Is the Only Surefire Pick in the 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft

There's nothing funny about it. Luke Joeckel is the best player in the 2013 NFL draft.

The discussion surrounding what the Kansas City Chiefs will do with the first overall pick centers on whether it's Joeckel or Eric Fisher who is the preferred option. Fisher is a solid shout, but Joeckel has the looks of a perennial Pro Bowler and possible Hall of Fame candidate.

Left tackles have always been the centerpiece of an offensive line, but in today's NFL, their value is even higher. It's becoming easier and easier to pass the football, so having a strong air attack is paramount. Your quarterback isn't going to be successful with a poor offensive line in front of him, no matter what weapons he has at his disposal.

Trading for Alex Smith was a masterstroke by the Chiefs because they acquired a quarterback with playoff experience. This paves the way for Joeckel's selection with the first pick.

There have been plenty of left tackles taken very highly who have flamed out when they hit the NFL.

Robert Gallery is one of the most recent examples. Coming out of Iowa, he was a can't-miss prospect. His footwork was a mess, and it led to him failing at both tackle positions. Gallery eventually settled in as a reliable guard, but he was nowhere near worth a No. 2 overall pick.

With Joeckel, there's very little chance he'll flop in the pros.

Strength is a bit of an issue, but you can expect that to become less and less of a concern as he starts the right kind of strength and conditioning program.

Joeckel's extremely agile for his size (6'6", 306 lbs). You look at him, and you'd never guess how heavy he was. Offensive linemen are starting to become more and more athletic, and Joeckel is part of that next generation.

His technique is superb, and rarely is he beaten at the line of scrimmage. If a defender does get some space, Joeckel is quick enough and alert enough to get the advantage back on his side.

Perhaps what's most in Joeckel's favor is his experience while at Texas A&M with different quarterbacks. Ryan Tannehill is the prototypical pocket passer. When he left, Johnny Manziel stepped in, and his style couldn't be any more different.

Yet Joeckel had no problem protecting each quarterback. Pass blocking for Tannehill wasn't unique. But with Manziel, Joeckel needed to adjust his blocking techniques to compensate for the longer period of time the quarterback would hold on to the football.

By selecting Joeckel, Andy Reid would get a left tackle the Chiefs could rely on for the next decade.