Chiefs Babb: Chiefs draft Memphis nose tackle - Page 3

**Tribal Warfare** · 04-27-2012, 04:00 AM

Poe-tential: Chiefs draft Memphis nose tackle
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel sat in front of a group of skeptics and seemed almost giddy. He had his man, nose tackle Dontari Poe, and said it had nothing to do with Poe’s performance at February’s NFL scouting combine.

Honest. Well, almost nothing.

“Running 4.9 (seconds), now,” Crennel said of Poe’s time in the 40-yard dash, “not all 350-pound guys can do that.”

The Chiefs selected Poe, a stranger even to many who live in southwestern Tennessee before becoming the superstar of the combine, with the No. 11 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

“Never coached, never been around a big guy with his type of talent,” said Mike DuBose, Poe’s defensive line coach at Memphis and a former head coach at Alabama. “… With Dontari, because of the circumstances around him, I think he’s just learning to play this game.”

Before he learned the game, as a stout ninth-grader at southeast Memphis’ Wooddale High, Poe played bass drum in the band. Then the school’s football coach, Cedric Miller, passed him one day — you can’t help but notice someone that big — and asked Poe why he was toting a drum and not stretching out a football jersey.

The kid gave it a try, and that was that. Poe went on to Memphis and, although he finished his junior season in 2011 with just one sack, emerged as a potential first-round NFL pick. It all started with a bass drum and a chance encounter.

“Being in the band taught me discipline,” Poe said Thursday night, shifting his words toward football. “It was kind of new going into it, but I kind of caught on quick.”

That’s what DuBose said Poe does well: He gets up to speed quickly. And that’s what the Chiefs will need him to do. The Chiefs gambled on Poe, who the skeptics panned as a combine wonder who underachieved in college, and who his supporters insist was simply not asked to make big plays at Memphis. The talent, DuBose said, is there; specializing him as a nose tackle, as the Chiefs plan to do, will reveal it.

“I don’t think he’s a polished football player, by any means,” DuBose said. “I don’t think that’s Dontari’s fault; I think that’s our fault.”

Unable to make a lasting impression in college, Poe said Thursday, he began training in Arizona after his junior season — waiting for his chance to grab NFL evaluators’ attention. He grew stronger and faster before his time came at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, every pro prospect’s most important job interview.

Poe, at 346 pounds, completed 44 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press. He broad-jumped 8 feet, 9 inches and completed the shuttle run in 4.56 seconds.

Crennel said the Chiefs liked Poe even before his combine performance. Crennel is a former defensive line coach, and the team’s biggest hole in 2011 was, by far, at nose tackle. Poe’s combine performance just solidified their interest. But it also threatened to put Poe out of the Chiefs’ reach.

“All of the reports that they had on the guy,” Crennel said of the Chiefs’ evaluations, “talked about how good he was as a player and his ability, and those reports came before the combine. Now, when we went to the combine and saw what he did at the combine, that perked our ears more.”

Afterward, Poe was no longer a secret. Instead, he was a specimen: a giant who could move like a ballet dancer. Crennel said Thursday that, more than anything, the uptick in attention caused concern inside the Chiefs’ front office. What if the team’s work would be wasted? What if all the chatter meant the Chiefs would now miss out on him?

So when the 11th pick arrived Thursday, a moment of peace amid a first round to that point filled with trades and chaos, the Chiefs and Crennel made good on all that preparation. Crennel couldn’t contain his excitement.

“I think we’re going to see a really good player,” the coach said.

Now that it’s done, Poe just has to make good on the idea that the combine wasn’t his ceiling, but rather a sign of a work ethic and untapped potential that aren’t often seen.

“Like I’ve told everyone else,” Poe said, “my motivation is pretty much unlimited right now. I’m so ready to just get in and prove to them that I belong here, and I belong at the next level.”

**The Bad Guy** · 04-27-2012, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YayMike

Just playing devil's advocate here, but who in your opinion was the BPA when we were on the clock?

Good question.

My bpa would have been Dre Kirkpatrick. Fletcher Cox too, but I was completely against yet another 5 tech.

I see why they did it. I think the run on Barron and the BC linebacker pushed the player likely to the bpa for the Chiefs.

I don't hate it as much as I did last night.

chiefzilla1501 · 04-27-2012, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

These drones still think you can win with a marginal QB. You never "throw your whole draft away" for the most important position in sports.

I've said many times before that I would trade redskins compensation for rgIII. To make up for falling back 5 more spots we would have to have given up an insane amount of picks. I support an aggressive move for a great qb but it's ridiculous to pretend there isn't a ceiling.

DeepSouth · 04-27-2012, 06:41 AM

I see him being defensive rookie of the year.

chiefzilla1501 · 04-27-2012, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

These drones still think you can win with a marginal QB. You never "throw your whole draft away" for the most important position in sports.

By the way, I would love to draft osweiler and even if we draft him, trade up next year for a guy like Tyler Wilson. And yes, I think we can get Wilson for less than redskins compensation even if we end up at pick 20.

**The Bad Guy** · 04-27-2012, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I've said many times before that I would trade redskins compensation for rgIII. To make up for falling back 5 more spots we would have to have given up an insane amount of picks. I support an aggressive move for a great qb but it's ridiculous to pretend there isn't a ceiling.

What's the floor? We end up with no playoff wins? We should be taking lots of risks. The RGIII one was never an option, but the Chiefs should be far more aggressive trying to secure a QB instead of going after retread after retread.

**The Bad Guy** · 04-27-2012, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

By the way, I would love to draft osweiler and even if we draft him, trade up next year for a guy like Tyler Wilson. And yes, I think we can get Wilson for less than redskins compensation even if we end up at pick 20.

How do you know what compensation we will need when the next draft is 364 days away?

That's lunacy.

beach tribe · 04-27-2012, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

so...you suck as a coach is the reason he was a mediocre player in an 8 man football league?

Even his own coach says he was poorly coached.
Now he gets Crennel.

chiefzilla1501 · 04-27-2012, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

How do you know what compensation we will need when the next draft is 364 days away?

That's lunacy.

Unlike this year, while there are no Andrew lucks, there will be more qbs who project to be better than tannehill. I think a lot of the desperation for rgIII was because they knew he was the last legit top 15 pick left. It was an interesting year where there was a very low supply of qbs and a very high demand from qb starved teams. Qb desperate teams, rather. You won't have nearly that kind of desperation next year.

And again, once you move out of the top 5,the trade value chart becomes very reasonable no matter where you trade up from. So if a good first round qb slips out of the top 5, the chiefs can trade up from way back and not have to give up outrageous compensation.

beach tribe · 04-27-2012, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I see him being defensive rookie of the year.

Sloww down. I wouldn't expect a whole lot right out of the gate.

eazyb81 · 04-27-2012, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I'd love to know his leg press. I don't know enough about his attitude and persona, either.

If he's got a monster leg press, he's got a very good shot.

He reportedly squats 700 pounds.

beach tribe · 04-27-2012, 06:51 AM

As a matter of fact, he's probably going to look like shit for a while, and the people who were against the pick will be like "SEE SEE. BUST!!!"

mcaj22 · 04-27-2012, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach tribe

As a matter of fact, he's probably going to look like shit for a while, and the people who were against the pick will be like "SEE SEE. BUST!!!"

only idiots that will think this are the people that expect him to be some Haolti Ngata type talent and are drinking the kool-aid.

**the Talking Can** · 04-27-2012, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

You're an idiot. Drafting a guard to draft a guard is filling a need because you took the safe pick. Low upside, low ability to impact your team, but he will play the position well.

Weve complained for years that we won't take a risk on a qb or nt because they're too risky. One down, one to go. I don't know why you're complaining about not taking a risk on a qb and justifying it by getting upset that we took a risk on an unpolished nose tackle. We needed to take a risk on either of those.

i'm just calliing you on your bs...

it's funny now

NT = risk ok
QB = oh noes, risky!

Nightfyre · 04-27-2012, 06:55 AM

I'll give him three years before I call him a bust. But I still hate the pick.

eazyb81 · 04-27-2012, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach tribe

As a matter of fact, he's probably going to look like shit for a while, and the people who were against the pick will be like "SEE SEE. BUST!!!"

Meh, who really knows. People said the same about Phil Taylor last year and he had a monster rookie season.

Poe could barely play next year or he could dominate the running game when given direction and coaching. Nothing would surprise me.

04-27-2012, 04:00 AM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $422813	Babb: Chiefs draft Memphis nose tackle Poe-tential: Chiefs draft Memphis nose tackle By KENT BABB The Kansas City Star Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel sat in front of a group of skeptics and seemed almost giddy. He had his man, nose tackle Dontari Poe, and said it had nothing to do with Poe’s performance at February’s NFL scouting combine. Honest. Well, almost nothing. “Running 4.9 (seconds), now,” Crennel said of Poe’s time in the 40-yard dash, “not all 350-pound guys can do that.” The Chiefs selected Poe, a stranger even to many who live in southwestern Tennessee before becoming the superstar of the combine, with the No. 11 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. “Never coached, never been around a big guy with his type of talent,” said Mike DuBose, Poe’s defensive line coach at Memphis and a former head coach at Alabama. “… With Dontari, because of the circumstances around him, I think he’s just learning to play this game.” Before he learned the game, as a stout ninth-grader at southeast Memphis’ Wooddale High, Poe played bass drum in the band. Then the school’s football coach, Cedric Miller, passed him one day — you can’t help but notice someone that big — and asked Poe why he was toting a drum and not stretching out a football jersey. The kid gave it a try, and that was that. Poe went on to Memphis and, although he finished his junior season in 2011 with just one sack, emerged as a potential first-round NFL pick. It all started with a bass drum and a chance encounter. “Being in the band taught me discipline,” Poe said Thursday night, shifting his words toward football. “It was kind of new going into it, but I kind of caught on quick.” That’s what DuBose said Poe does well: He gets up to speed quickly. And that’s what the Chiefs will need him to do. The Chiefs gambled on Poe, who the skeptics panned as a combine wonder who underachieved in college, and who his supporters insist was simply not asked to make big plays at Memphis. The talent, DuBose said, is there; specializing him as a nose tackle, as the Chiefs plan to do, will reveal it. “I don’t think he’s a polished football player, by any means,” DuBose said. “I don’t think that’s Dontari’s fault; I think that’s our fault.” Unable to make a lasting impression in college, Poe said Thursday, he began training in Arizona after his junior season — waiting for his chance to grab NFL evaluators’ attention. He grew stronger and faster before his time came at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, every pro prospect’s most important job interview. Poe, at 346 pounds, completed 44 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press. He broad-jumped 8 feet, 9 inches and completed the shuttle run in 4.56 seconds. Crennel said the Chiefs liked Poe even before his combine performance. Crennel is a former defensive line coach, and the team’s biggest hole in 2011 was, by far, at nose tackle. Poe’s combine performance just solidified their interest. But it also threatened to put Poe out of the Chiefs’ reach. “All of the reports that they had on the guy,” Crennel said of the Chiefs’ evaluations, “talked about how good he was as a player and his ability, and those reports came before the combine. Now, when we went to the combine and saw what he did at the combine, that perked our ears more.” Afterward, Poe was no longer a secret. Instead, he was a specimen: a giant who could move like a ballet dancer. Crennel said Thursday that, more than anything, the uptick in attention caused concern inside the Chiefs’ front office. What if the team’s work would be wasted? What if all the chatter meant the Chiefs would now miss out on him? So when the 11th pick arrived Thursday, a moment of peace amid a first round to that point filled with trades and chaos, the Chiefs and Crennel made good on all that preparation. Crennel couldn’t contain his excitement. “I think we’re going to see a really good player,” the coach said. Now that it’s done, Poe just has to make good on the idea that the combine wasn’t his ceiling, but rather a sign of a work ethic and untapped potential that aren’t often seen. “Like I’ve told everyone else,” Poe said, “my motivation is pretty much unlimited right now. I’m so ready to just get in and prove to them that I belong here, and I belong at the next level.”
Posts: 42,192

04-27-2012, 06:41 AM	#33
DeepSouth War Eagle !!! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Mobile, AL 36608 Casino cash: $9919387	I see him being defensive rookie of the year.
Posts: 2,178

04-27-2012, 06:51 AM	#41
beach tribe Keep doubting J MFing Houston Join Date: May 2007 Location: ft.lauderdale Casino cash: $4698036	As a matter of fact, he's probably going to look like shit for a while, and the people who were against the pick will be like "SEE SEE. BUST!!!"
Posts: 21,429

04-27-2012, 06:55 AM	#44
Nightfyre MVP Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Helena, MT Casino cash: $3288849	I'll give him three years before I call him a bust. But I still hate the pick.
Posts: 18,571