Pioli drafts for need.
 

I took some time this afternoon to run all four first-rounders through a common metric to see if there's any connection I could draw.

2009: DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
2010: SS Eric Berry, Tennessee
2011: WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
2012: NT Dontari Poe, Memphis

Turns out there really isn't a connective tissue between the four. It's crazy that one guy drafted all four of them.

Character flags:

Yes: Baldwin (diva), Poe (motor)
No: Jackson, Berry

In need of development:

None: Berry
Some: Jackson
Lots: Baldwin
Complete: Poe

Positional value:

High: Jackson, Baldwin, Poe
Medium: Berry

Draft's depth at the position:

Deep: Berry, Baldwin
Shallow: Jackson, Poe

Boom-bust?

Nope: Berry, Jackson
Yes: Poe, Baldwin

Out of every single line I could draw, I could only draw two:

1. The Chiefs tend to avoid injury-concern players in the first round. (But even this is unlikely because they liked Barron.)
2. The Chiefs have a desperate need at the drafted position each year.

DE was the team's #1 need in 2009. Safety was among the team's top needs in 2010. WR was perhaps the top need in 2011, and NT was the top need this year.

I think Pioli may just be a needs-first drafter, at least in the first round.

Where's the poor motor reports for Poe? He was a three down player at multiple positions along the line. I've heard his former coaches come on the radio after the draft and gush about his motor.

There were sporatic complaints about his motor. I don't buy them either.

But it's beside the point anyway.

.

Also, in the interview with Jack yesterday, Pioli says they have 3 categories:

Musts
Needs
Wants

Those dudes are all musts.

This is great news! It means we will finally draft a QB next year!

Agree.

I don't think you can criticize Poe's motor. I think what people are saying is that it seems like he doesn't show up in games. Easy to get lost when you are getting double and tripled team because the rest of your defensive unit sucks ass.

Crennel and Pioli GUSHED about how Poe played damn near every defensive snap of damn near every game on a very bad team. When that team was down big, in the waning minutes of the 4th quarter with no chance to win, Poe continued to go full speed.

I'm excited to see how this kid looks when he has talent around him.

He really does and it's surprising

You would think that in the 1st round he would avoid drafting for need but he seems to do it then more than even later rounds.

You know how much I hate it when people call Baldwin a diva, right?

You've got to be doing this on purpose. You're trying to jerk my chain.

The thing I hate is the stupidity of people not recognizing the value of safety in today's NFL.

In the old days, safety wasn't nearly as valuable as today.

Darren Sharper, Bob Sanders, Troy Polumalu and Ed Reed, among others have been game changers.

Safety in today's NFL is a high value position.

Yeah I thought the same thing on draft day. However i don't think he drafts strictly on need.

It applies to nickel corners too.

The game has changed. The safety role has changed significantly.

I think a lot of people who evaluated Poe confused "poor motor" with "got his ass kicked". Poe gave an effort, he just wasn't effective.