Draft Grade

[kccrow]

Because I know it absolutely pisses people off here.

Overall Grade B

1-32 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU - Grade A

Surrounding Mahomes with weapons is never a bad idea and Clydro will provide him a safety net underneath against zone coverage and he's a solid short-yardage runner that can extend drives. Obviously, I'm not a believer in taking a RB in round 1 but I think returning 20 starters gives the team some form of luxury. I had a higher grade on DE AJ Epenesa who went far later than I expected, so we'll see how that plays out over the next few years. One thing for certain, KC got an immediate contributor at a position that needed added talent.

2-63 Willie Gay, Jr., LB, Mississippi State - Grade D+

If I were grading on effort, the Chiefs would get a solid B but I just don't like the player. Logan Wilson, taken 2 picks later, was widely regarded the better prospect and it wasn't even a debate. Gay, to me personnally, was a guy you take in the late 4th or 5th round as a developmental traits-based guy, but Veach saw the traits and took him much earlier. I think this is a severe reach but if he pans out then Veach will make me look silly. I'm not sure I'm taking that chance this early, especially given the academic fraud and fight with his QB. I think this is a position KC needed an immediate player at and they took a guy I expect to take 2 years to develop, if he ever does. This isn't a F-level bomb job in my opinion but I can't really fathom Gay being the better player over Wilson, who comps favorably to SF stud MLB Fred Warner. Hopefully, I have an A grade on this in 3 years and not the D+ I have today. I'd rather look stupid than smart on this one.

3-96 Lucas Niang, OT, TCU - Grade A

Let me preface with saying Niang is a first-round caliber offensive tackle, no doubt about it. The fact he was a day 2 pick was because of his injury. The fact KC got him at 96 is almost mind-blowing. This is a player I thought KC would have to take at 63 if he even made it that far. This certainly offsets my feelings about the reach for Gay and the draft as a whole. If you told me post draft that it went 1 Niang, 2 Edwards-Helaire, and 3 Gay, I wouldn't have flinched, so that's a plus from a personal angle.

4-138 L'Jarius Sneed, CB/S, Louisiana Tech - Grade A

I really, really like Sneed's tape as a CB. I'm not super high on him as a safety though so the confirmation that KC was looking to play him at CB made me feel really good about this pick. He has speed for days, he's a guy that plays the ball, and he's physical through the route. He doesn't have the hips or the feet you want right out the gate but I think he's really similar to Charvarious Ward and will improve there. The Chiefs had to address defensive backs in this draft and they had me nervous waiting this long. I thought they'd take one early on, especially with Trevon Diggs sitting there as another long and physical guy in round 1.

5-177 Michael Danna, DE, Michigan - Grade C-

This wasn't a guy I was unfamiliar with. I live in Michigan plus I'm an Ohio State fan. I've seen the product at both Central and the U. I think there's some excitement as a physical specimen there but it's more power/explosion based. I think he's a tenancious player that's going to give you everything he can. I think if you leave him out on the edge and let him just do his thing, he's a better player than bumping him down inside at times. Certainly, he doesn't have much length and I don't know if he has enough athleticism to overcome what he lacks there. I think you always look at an initial grade on a player and then you look at what you would have taken instead, because that really backs it up. For me, there were three players sitting there I would have taken long before Danna in Wake Forest LB Justin Strnad to hedge my bets on Willie Gay and provide more on special teams, Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to plan for DRob and Sammy leaving after 2020, or Kansas OT Hakeem Adeniji who is a guy you plan to kick inside. With Niang on board, Adeniji has less appeal. Honestly, I think I would have opted for Peoples-Jones. I think that if you can unlock that potential he's going to be a really special player. He has the juice to be a Sammy Watkins.

7-237 Thakarius Keyes, CB, Tulane - Grade B+

Count me among those that were thrilled KC gave up a 2021 6th to jump back in and take this guy. He was on my list of late round favorites and I certainly think he has a future if he can prove that he can stay in phase with NFL receivers. I don't like his deep speed, I don't like his hips and feet right now, and I don't like that he opens up to routes too early, allowing receivers to get underneath him. That said, I like his length and his physicality and how he fits with Spags. I think he has some correctable aspects to his game. Pitt CB Dane Jackson went a couple picks later to Buffalo and I think he's just a tad better prospect, but I'm hopeful this kid turns out.

[staylor26]

I give it an A-, would’ve been an A+ if they took Watkins or Peoples-Jones in the 5th.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I give it an A-, would’ve been an A+ if they took Watkins or Peoples-Jones in the 5th.

I'm just hoping you're right about Willie Gay and I'm wrong. That's the lynchpin of the draft. They had to get a coverage WLB in this thing.

[BryanBusby]

My grade: Long D

Because that's what the AFC is getting in their asses all year long.

[Direckshun]

I see no path forward for Danna on this roster. I will say that I will ride and die with Branden Daly and Daly seems to love the kid, but he’s not the right size, didn’t produce, and isn’t the athlete we need him to be.

He has no path forward for this team that makes sense. I think he’s cut in two years.

Every other pick made sense to me, and some were grand slams, like Clydro, who is basically Joseph Addai, and Gay, who I think is an athletic version of Burfict.

I wish they’d just keep Niang as a swing tackle — there’s value in that and it gives us the ability to plug him in there in a year or two for one of our tackles if need be. I don’t like the plan to play him at guard — kccrow, do you think he projects well there?

You were magnificent this draft season, kccrow. We don’t deserve you.

[Titty Meat]

I cant believe you are so down on Gay. I thought that was our best pick of the whole draft.

[RunKC]

B+

It will be an A if Niang is a good starting LG. It will be an A+ if Niang becomes a quality starting LT.

[DJ's left nut]

I'm super lazy and would be largely KCCrow (apart from the Willie Gay thing, though I believe some of his concerns do have merit, the talent is just unreal). So I shall teal his format and remove all analysis.

Overall Grade A-

1-32 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU - Grade B+

A player + B positional value = B+ grade. Don't love the idea of RB in 1 but man does he fit nicely.

2-63 Willie Gay, Jr., LB, Mississippi State - Grade A-

I'm willing to gamble on the come here; unreal ability. Gotta get smarter and be put in the right places to succeed.

3-96 Lucas Niang, OT, TCU - Grade A-

Mentioned Niang as a viable 2nd round pick in the lead up to the mock. I worry about a should issue with an OL, but he could be a long-term starter at both G or even T. And if his warts remain, he's almost still going to be a damn nice pass-blocker. His strengths are where we need them to be. That's a spectacular pick in the late 3rd.

4-138 L'Jarius Sneed, CB/S, Louisiana Tech - Grade A-

"Here Spags, make this guy great..." -- I can live with that.

5-177 Michael Danna, DE, Michigan - Grade C-

I gave it a C because this is a pretty average 5th round pick but a guy who's an odd fit here to my eyes. And there were some guys on the board I'd have liked more.

7-237 Thakarius Keyes, CB, Tulane - Grade A-

Because the pick is so late it's hard to care much either way - the draft capital expended is deminimis. But like Sneed, this is a really toolsy kid and Veach trusts his staff.



All told I'm extremely happy with this draft. Just felt like I should ultimately end up on record somewhere so here it is.

[Direckshun]

I’m happy with the draft myself but Danna shows nothing that suggests he’s a viable guy for this team.

I don’t think that’s an average 5th round pick. I think that would be garbage for the 7th round. For the 5th round, it’s an F.

I do think this is the best defensive coaching staff we’ve ever had, but we had these same “hey that guy doesn’t have a clear fit!” questions with Speaks and DOD and they’ve both shown nothing so far. I suspect the same will be true with Danna.

That said, since I’m saying this again: I ride and die with this coaching staff, and Branden Daly specifically, and Daly seems to adore the kid. That bodes VERY well for him. But all other indicators that we typically rely on to figure out if a guy will stick tell us this guy won’t, and no amount of Mitch Holthus/BJ Kissel/Craig Stout whitewashing will change that. I want to see it on the field.

[Megatron96]

Spags and Daly see something in Danna. I'm wondering what Danna is really good at. Gotta be something . . . I trust Spags and Daly so I'm guessing that by the last quarter of the season we'll see what they saw in him.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by everyone in 2018

Sutton and Reid see something in Speaks. I'm wondering what Speaks is really good at. Gotta be something . . . I trust Sutton and Reid so I'm guessing that by the last quarter of the season we'll see what they saw in him.

Fypp

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

I cant believe you are so down on Gay. I thought that was our best pick of the whole draft.

Willie is another name for penis, and gay is gay. This pick is Raisin Bran for you. It's two scoops of gay, and you eat it up as a hearty breakfast every day to replenish your energy after a long night of ass play with Bruce.

[el borracho]

This draft was a swing for the fences. With the exception of Danna, all of the players have extreme measurables.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by el borracho

This draft was a swing for the fences. With the exception of CEH, all of the players have extreme measurables.

FYP

[RealSNR]

On the Michael Danna thing...

Not every pick is a home run. Hell, not every pick is even going to be on the team at the start of the 2021 season.

You let guys like Veach swing for the fences. You let him have his WTF picks. Maybe once every 10 years you draft a long snapper and it ends up being Jared Allen. Totally worth it.

It didn't work out with Kahlil Mckenzie. It worked out for Rashad Fenton. At least Veach is saving those WTF picks for the ends of our draft (at the time, Danna was our last draft pick).