NFL Draft Gosselin: Chiefs let talent fall to them in NFL draft

heapshake · 04-27-2008, 07:03 PM

NEW YORK – The Kansas City Chiefs intended to trade out of the fifth pick of the 2008 NFL draft. But their thinking changed when the best player in the draft parachuted into their lap. All trade talks were off when LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey slid to the Chiefs in the first round. The rebuilding of a once-proud franchise was suddenly in full tilt.
"Never in our lives did we think we could get an opportunity to get Glenn Dorsey," Chiefs personnel director Bill Kuharich said. Heading into the draft, Kansas City's most pressing need was at offensive tackle. But the fifth spot in the draft was a bit rich to select any of the four remaining elite tackles on the board: Ryan Clady, Chris Williams, Branden Albert or Jeff Otah.

The Chiefs expected Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston, the best pass rusher in the draft, to be there when they went on the clock, and they knew they'd get calls from teams seeking to move up for him.
The Chiefs didn't need a defensive tackle, not after drafting Turk McBride and Tank Tyler in the first day of the 2007 draft. But Dorsey walks in as the new sheriff of that trio. He won the Lombardi, Lott, Nagurski and Outland trophies in 2007 for his disruptive dominance inside for the national champions.

Not that Kansas City's defensive interior couldn't be upgraded, though. The Chiefs ranked 28th in the NFL in run defense. The New York Giants showed everyone that rotating linemen upgrades performance. Suddenly, you can count the Chiefs among the advocates of that strategy. Kansas City then addressed its most pressing need with a second first-round draft pick, claiming Albert, an offensive lineman from Virginia. He plugs in as the starting left tackle, protecting Brodie Croyle's blind side. Kansas City still had plenty of holes, as one would expect on a team that finished 4-12. The Chiefs needed help on offense, where they ranked 31st in the NFL. But most of all, they needed to get younger. They fielded the second-oldest starting lineup in the NFL.

With 12 picks, Kansas City saturated its roster with youth and talent. Cornerback Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech carried late first-round value, and the Chiefs selected him in the second round. Running back Jamaal Charles of Texas carried high second-round value, and the Chiefs selected him in the third. Tight end Brad Cottam of Tennessee and safety DaJuan Morgan of North Carolina State each carried second-round value, and the Chiefs landed both in the third. The Chiefs also had a superb sixth round, drafting a potential starter at right offensive tackle in Barry Richardson and one of the college game's electric kick returners in Utah State's Kevin Robinson. Richardson started 45 consecutive games at Clemson, and Robinson returned seven college kicks for scores.

In a draft where reaching for need prevailed, patience rewarded a team that allowed good players slide to them.

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04-27-2008, 07:03 PM	Topic Starter
heapshake the great pumpkin Join Date: Jul 2002 Casino cash: $9789294	Gosselin: Chiefs let talent fall to them in NFL draft NEW YORK – The Kansas City Chiefs intended to trade out of the fifth pick of the 2008 NFL draft. But their thinking changed when the best player in the draft parachuted into their lap. All trade talks were off when LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey slid to the Chiefs in the first round. The rebuilding of a once-proud franchise was suddenly in full tilt. "Never in our lives did we think we could get an opportunity to get Glenn Dorsey," Chiefs personnel director Bill Kuharich said. Heading into the draft, Kansas City's most pressing need was at offensive tackle. But the fifth spot in the draft was a bit rich to select any of the four remaining elite tackles on the board: Ryan Clady, Chris Williams, Branden Albert or Jeff Otah. The Chiefs expected Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston, the best pass rusher in the draft, to be there when they went on the clock, and they knew they'd get calls from teams seeking to move up for him. The Chiefs didn't need a defensive tackle, not after drafting Turk McBride and Tank Tyler in the first day of the 2007 draft. But Dorsey walks in as the new sheriff of that trio. He won the Lombardi, Lott, Nagurski and Outland trophies in 2007 for his disruptive dominance inside for the national champions. Not that Kansas City's defensive interior couldn't be upgraded, though. The Chiefs ranked 28th in the NFL in run defense. The New York Giants showed everyone that rotating linemen upgrades performance. Suddenly, you can count the Chiefs among the advocates of that strategy. Kansas City then addressed its most pressing need with a second first-round draft pick, claiming Albert, an offensive lineman from Virginia. He plugs in as the starting left tackle, protecting Brodie Croyle's blind side. Kansas City still had plenty of holes, as one would expect on a team that finished 4-12. The Chiefs needed help on offense, where they ranked 31st in the NFL. But most of all, they needed to get younger. They fielded the second-oldest starting lineup in the NFL. With 12 picks, Kansas City saturated its roster with youth and talent. Cornerback Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech carried late first-round value, and the Chiefs selected him in the second round. Running back Jamaal Charles of Texas carried high second-round value, and the Chiefs selected him in the third. Tight end Brad Cottam of Tennessee and safety DaJuan Morgan of North Carolina State each carried second-round value, and the Chiefs landed both in the third. The Chiefs also had a superb sixth round, drafting a potential starter at right offensive tackle in Barry Richardson and one of the college game's electric kick returners in Utah State's Kevin Robinson. Richardson started 45 consecutive games at Clemson, and Robinson returned seven college kicks for scores. In a draft where reaching for need prevailed, patience rewarded a team that allowed good players slide to them. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...l.26d7525.html
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