Justin Houston to Kansas City Chiefs: 2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Justin Houston would've probably disappeared earlier in a draft that wasn't absurdly loaded with defensive end/outside backer types who burn off the edge of offensive lines, and the Kansas City Chiefs receive great value at pick No. 7. The Georgia Bulldog spent plenty of time in the opponents' backfield in his final college season, with 10 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss to show for it.

Houston can jump the snap with the best of the class but needs to increase his repertoire of pass rushing moves and perhaps learn to surge inside better. The 6-2, 270-pounder could prove a great turnover catalyst if used utilized correctly in Romeo Crennel's scheme.

Andrew Carter of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel sees Houston as a bit of a hit-or-miss speed rush prospect, which isn't remarkably uncommon in the first round.

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"Has a natural knack for making plays, as he showed plenty of times during his junior season at Georgia. Can get around protection on the outside and is an ideal fit at outside linebacker for a 3-4 team. ... He's a bit of a tweener – at 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds he's too small to play defensive end and perhaps too much of a liability in areas aside from pass rushing to be a consistently elite performer in the NFL. The potential is there, though."

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Houston joins Tamba Hall to bookend the Chiefs' edge pass rush. Many mocks had Kansas City taking a defensive end or outside linebacker of his ilk in the first round, but made the correct calculation that the quantity of talent for outside rushers would drop players like Houston — who was often projected to the Jets in round one — rather significantly.