Marcus Peters to Kansas City Chiefs: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2015 NFL draft with legitimate needs at wide receiver and along the offensive line. Instead of addressing that side of the football, the Chiefs used the 18th overall pick to select former Washington cornerback Marcus Peters.

The selection of Peters seems a little curious, as guys like wide receiver Breshad Perriman and center/guard Cameron Erving were still on the board when Kansas City made its pick. Peters also comes with maturity concerns.

Peters was the third cornerback selected in the first round.

Clearly, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid believe that Peters can be a cornerstone piece in the defense for the foreseeable future.

From a physical standpoint, Peters can certainly be that type of player. The 6'0", 197-pound pass-defender has the size, agility and ball skills needed to develop into a top-tier cornerback at the next level. He looks like a guy that is pro-ready on the field and one that can become a future superstar.

Peters' skills are backed up by documented production. In 2013, when he played in 13 games, he amassed 55 total tackles and five interceptions with nine passes defended.

The issue with Peters is that he seems to have "emotional issues" both on and off the field. He was suspended and later dismissed from the Washington football team for confrontations with the coaching staff, and he is prone to making mental mistakes in games.

"I wouldn't take him inside the first two rounds. He's good, but he's not that good that I would be willing to deal with his emotional issues." One unnamed NFC personnel director said of Peters, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.

The Chiefs ranked eight in the NFL in pass coverage a season ago, according to Pro Football Focus. The Chiefs must be extremely confident in their ability to control Peters, that they would gamble at a position that isn't a dire need.

The thing is that if the Chiefs are successful in helping Peters focus, then they will be getting one of the better defenders in this entire draft class.

Peters was rated No. 1 overall among cornerback prospects by Bleacher Report Lead Draft Analyst Matt Miller leading up to the draft. Miller wrote the following of Peters:

"

He’s going to be an impact player early in the NFL. He’s fluid and compensates for a lack of elite speed with great technique in his hip turns and in his timing. ... He’s a tough, attacking tackler in space. Peters has the talent to become a top-five NFL cornerback.

"

If Peters does develop into an upper-echelon corner, then it will be difficult to call his selection anything other than a steal. If his issues follow him into the NFL, however, the Chiefs might regret his selection.

This is what makes Peters such a boom-or-bust prospect. Credit Dorsey and Co. for having the guts to take a chance on Peters, especially if he works out as would be hoped. The Chiefs stuck to their draft board and didn't attack areas of need, which is exactly how many successful franchises operate.

This might not be a selection that makes a ton of sense in the short term. Because of the risk involved, it is also far from a sure thing.

However, it is a pick that potentially sets the Chiefs up with a franchise defender for the future. Elite cornerbacks are rare, and if Peters matures, Kansas City might just have landed one.