Pioli drafts for need.

[Direckshun]

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.