NFL Draft 2011: Kansas City Chiefs Draft Plan for Their 1st-Round Selection
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off of their first AFC West title since 2003 and a lot of their success last season was due to their great draft in 2010. The Chiefs will need to replicate their 2010 draft success in 2011 if they want to stay on top of the division, and they will need to make a splash with their first-round pick this year similar to the one they made last season when they landed Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry with the fifth pick.
The Chiefs don't have nearly as many holes in this year's draft as they had going into last season's draft but they still have many positions where they can look to upgrade.
Kansas City has a big need at wide receiver where it needs to find a No. 2 receiver and possibly a slot receiver, but there won't likely be a receiver available with the 21st pick that is worthy of that selection.
So with that in mind the Chiefs will need to look to their other needs to make the most of their first-round selection. Outside linebacker, nose tackle and the offensive line are the most pressing needs for the Chiefs that they could potentially address in the first round.
Here are eight potential options for Kansas City with the 21st pick in this year's draft.
UCLA Outside Linebacker Akeem Ayers
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The Chiefs need to find an outside linebacker to replace Mike Vrabel and that player needs to be able to rush the quarterback.
Tamba Hali cannot be the only one applying pressure for the Chiefs next season, and while Wallace Gilberry may have a future in getting to the quarterback after recording seven sacks this year, the Chiefs need another versatile player that can rush the passer from the outside linebacker position.
Ayers fits what the Chiefs are looking for because he is a long and athletic player who is very versatile.
Ayers can rush the passer, make tackles in the run game and help out in coverage.
Obviously Hali is not the greatest in pass coverage, which is why it becomes even more important that the Chiefs can find a player who can do multiple things well on the opposite side of the Kansas City 3-4 defense.
Before the combine it did not appear likely that Ayers would be available when the Chiefs were on the clock, but his slow 40 time (4.8 seconds) will most likely mean a drop in his draft stock.
This could work to the benefit of the Chiefs because Ayers is an athletic player who makes plays and you can never have enough guys like that on your defense.
Georgia Outside Linebacker Justin Houston
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Houston is the third and final elite outside linebacker in this draft to go along with Von Miller and Ayers, and I think the Chiefs should give this versatile pass rusher a look.
Some teams are looking at the 6'3", 270 lb. player as a defensive end in 4-3 scheme after he weighed in as heavy as he did at the combine, but he has the speed to stay at outside linebacker in the Chiefs 3-4 defense after running a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash in Indy.
Houston recorded 11 sacks this past season, while recording 42 tackles (19.5 for loss). The junior linebacker also forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass.
Chiefs GM Scott Pioli loves to draft players from the SEC and Houston fits that bill after playing at Georgia for three seasons, and the 22-year-old has also been active in community service.
Houston's instincts are a major strength, which could be attractive to the Chiefs as they look to replace Vrabel.
Baylor Defensive Tackle Phil Taylor
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Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor is a mountain of man, standing 6'3" and tipping the scales at 334 lbs. Taylor has the kind of size and run-stuffing ability the Chiefs are looking for at their 3-4 nose tackle position. But he also has some questions surrounding him that could cause the Chiefs to look in another direction.
Taylor was involved in a fight while attending Penn State that led to a one-game suspension and ultimately his transfer to Baylor, but that is not the only concern when it comes to the 23-year-old. Many scouts question Taylor's work ethic and whether or not he has what it takes to excel at the NFL level.
I'm sure Pioli and Co. will do their research on Taylor and if they feel comfortable with his character then he could be the pick. Most view Taylor as the undisputed top nose tackle in the draft because of his space-eating ability, but he is not necessarily regarded as a first-round talent so the Chiefs may look to trade back in the draft if they want to take Taylor.
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Boston College Offensive Tackle Anthony Castonzo
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The Chiefs could look to move left tackle Branden Albert to right tackle and that will most likely take place if Pioli and Co. decide to draft a replacement in the first round.
Boston College left tackle Anthony Castonzo could be that replacement if the Chiefs use the 21st pick on him, and he would give Kansas City another solid run blocker to open holes for Pro Bowler Jamaal Charles.
Castonzo is not a dominant blocker but he is known as a strong character player and a hard worker, who majored in biochemistry at B.C.
The 22-year-old would fit in well with the Chiefs zone-blocking scheme because he is not a powerful blocker, but he has good feet and is typically in position to make an effective block. Castonzo would need to get stronger and add some bulk to really become a top-notch blocker in the NFL and I believe he will eventually do so.
Castonzo is generally regarded as the second-best offensive tackle in the draft behind USC's Tyron Smith, and with Albert and second-year player Jon Asamoah already in place the Chiefs would have a solid core to build around on the offensive line for years to come.
Florida Center Mike Pouncey
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Casey Wiegmann is at the end of his career so the Chiefs will likely be looking to add a young center in either this year's draft or next year and Pouncey is the undisputed top center in this year's class.
Some teams want to move Pouncey to guard, but I think the Chiefs would be better served leaving Pouncey at center, where his brother Maurkice became a Pro Bowler as a rookie for the Steelers last season.
Mike Pouncey would give the Chiefs more flexibility on the offensive line with his ability to play either guard spot or center, and his run blocking is exceptional.
Pouncey has received great character reviews from former coaches and when you couple that with the fact that he played for the Gators in the SEC you have a recipe for success in the eyes of Pioli.
The 21-year-old has very good awareness when it comes to reading where the defense is going to be coming from and picking up his blocks. Pouncey is above average to exceptional in all areas of his game and the Chiefs would certainly benefit from taking the Florida native with the 21st pick.
If the Chiefs decide to take an offensive lineman then I believe Pouncey should be the guy.
Wisconsin Offensive Tackle Gabe Carimi
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Wisconsin left tackle Gabe Carimi is an excellent run blocker who would likely step in and play right away for the Chiefs, but he would need to improve his pass protection to stay at left tackle in the NFL.
Carimi is similar to Castonzo in terms of work ethic and character, and he plays with a mean streak that Chiefs fans would love to see at Arrowhead on Sundays.
While the 22-year-old is a powerful run blocker, perhaps the best in the draft, his pass-blocking skills are average. Carimi does not display that athleticism that Castonzo does and pass rushers who are quick will give Carimi some problems on the edge.
If Carimi can work to improve his pass-blocking skills then he may become one of the steals of the draft in the later part of the first round, with the ability to become a perennial Pro Bowler.
Trade Up
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Scott Pioli is not known to move around a whole lot in the draft but if the Chiefs decide that they really want a player like Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones then they may try to make a move up to the top 10.
The Chiefs would likely have to give up at least a third-round pick and maybe more to move up far enough to get someone like Jones so this scenario may not play out. Still, the Chiefs could use someone opposite Dwayne Bowe and Jones and A.J. Green are the only two elite receivers in the draft.
Kansas City should keep all of its options open, and while trading up is not the most likely scenario, it is still one to watch out for on draft night.
Trade Down
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Trading down would probably make more sense than trading up for the Chiefs in this draft and it may be the best option for them when their 21st pick is on the clock.
With Ayers seemingly slipping on many pundits' draft boards, the Chiefs may decide they want to trade into the late part of the first round or early second round to add more draft ammunition and still pick up the pass rusher or receiving threat they covet.
The 21st pick is too early to take someone like Miami receiver Leonard Hankerson, but if the Chiefs are able to trade down into the No. 30-40 range and add a pick or two, then the selection of Hankerson would be a solid one.
What Should the Chiefs Do?
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I like current outside linebacker Andy Studebaker and I think the Chiefs should work to continue developing him, but I also think the Chiefs will get the best value if they take Ayers or Houston.
My best-case scenario for the Chiefs would be to take Ayers—a player that is capable of doing many things for the Kansas City defense, and another potential playmaker for Romeo Crennel.
If Ayers is gone then the Chiefs should consider Houston or explore the possibility of trading down.
Let me know what you want to see the Chiefs do with the 21st pick in this year's draft.
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