Babb: Chiefs move quickly to get tight end Moeaki

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs move quickly to get tight end Moeaki
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Tony Moeaki was sitting on his couch, surrounded by family, when it happened. It seemed to pass in an instant. The tight end from Iowa saw on the television that a trade had been made. The Chiefs were picking now at No. 93 overall, at the end of the third round.

Then Moeaki’s phone rang. He was going to Kansas City.

“It happened within seconds,” he said Friday night. “Lightning quick.”

Things can happen that quickly during the NFL draft, and a player’s luck can change that fast, too. It has happened to Moeaki before.

Here was a promising tight end, with sure hands and strong shoulders, but his legs and feet kept failing him. He broke his left foot in 2007, missing all but four games. A season later, he made one start and had a sprained ankle to worry about, too. The promising tight end was now known as an injury risk, and who knew if he’d ever reach the potential he brought to Iowa City from Wheaton, Ill., a town west of Chicago.

“Definitely frustrating,” Moeaki said. “But that part is behind me.”

The Chiefs are confident that’s true.

Moeaki started all 10 of his games last season, his fifth at Iowa after being granted a medical redshirt year by the NCAA. He had a career-high 30 catches and four touchdowns. That was the kind of season his talent had made possible, but his legs were keeping him from.

When Kansas City made the call late Friday to trade its fourth-round pick (No. 102 overall) and the last of its three fifth-round selections (No. 144), it was ready to bet that Moeaki’s word was good. The Chiefs seem to be drafting with character in mind this year, and they’ve done their homework.

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli is researching prospects like a president vets a Supreme Court nominee. Team captains. Players with their communities in mind. Youngsters with high football IQs and almost spotless resumes. Moeaki has all that, with the caveat that his talent hasn’t yet overshadowed the injuries.

Still, the 22-year-old Moeaki said he considers himself fully healthy. He said he’s a “complete tight end,” one who’s made his share of blocks, caught his share of passes. But those are his words.

So maybe Pioli turned to an old friend for some reassurance. Pioli and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz are longtime friends. Moeaki said Friday night that he got used to seeing Pioli hang around the Hawkeyes’ football offices.

Pioli wouldn’t say what kind of endorsement Ferentz gave Moeaki. He said he doesn’t feel comfortable speaking for others. Then again …

“I’ll say Kirk is very fond of him,” Pioli said.

Pioli said he was watching the draft, too. And as the selections kept passing, Pioli kept thinking Moeaki would be gone by the time the Chiefs’ turn came around again Saturday morning, when the fourth round started.

“He was a player that we were talking about earlier,” Pioli said. “We didn’t know what the sweet spot was going to be to try to pick him up.

I didn’t know if we had enough ammunition to make a trade and move up. … The opportunity came where we felt like giving up that late of a fifth-round pick, to be able to move up into this round and get one of the couple of guys that we would’ve been disappointed if we lost before it was our turn to pick.”

So the Chiefs came and got him.

Moeaki said he was casually watching the end of the third round when it all happened. The TV flashed. The trade happened. The phone rang. It was Pioli.

It was done.

“It all fell together,” he said. “I’m just excited that he got me.”

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I think the fact we passed them both over is exactly WHY he know he voiced his opinion.

As much as I wanted BOTH of them...

I never saw Clausen as the QB I wanted to draft, and I am on record saying that I like Mardy Gilyard better than Golden Tate.

But you know that Weis had to championing one or both of Clausen and Tate, and we passed.

So what makes anyone think that Weis had any say in selecting Moeaki?

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

By God, I've got goosebumps. He's got Tony Gonzalez written all over him.

Goodbye Cottam.

Cottam isn't going anywhere.

He'll show Moeaki the IR ropes.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by milkman

Cottam isn't going anywhere.

He'll show Moeaki the IR ropes.

It's Brokaki. (c)

Please get it right.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

It's Brokaki. (c)

Please get it right.

Stealing that.

What a POS draft.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by milkman

Cottam isn't going anywhere.

He'll show Moeaki the IR ropes.

First post read this morning, and it is perfect.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by KC kid

I want to know WHY people thinks he sucks. Just saying you hate him or he sucks is the start to a conversation that ends in name calling. His hands? Speed? Route running? Blocking?

the people that dont like ALL Iowa players haven't watched them play.

I can pull up hundreds of posts slamming Spivey, Angerer, Moeaki, Bulaga and Calloway and the only one left is Calloway (and I bet he goes pretty fast once this starts back up in a hour) most went much higher than projected.

OOPS I forgot Edds, but I havent even talked about him at all.

2011 Iowa stud watch:

Adrian Clayborn

[shakesthecat]

I understand the injury concerns. I understand the angst at not selecting a position of higher need with that pick. But anyone calling Moeaki a POS, or that he sucks, is flat out wrong.

Talent wise, he's the best TE in the draft, and will likely start from day 1.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I may hate this guy more than Jake O'Connell

nice to see you have such emotional investment in a 7th round pick

seriously...

are you on anti-depressants?

if not, you should look into it...you are a sad, sad, sad ****stick of a person.

[boogblaster]

It's a Cassell draft so far .. maybe we can at least drive to the 50 this year ...

[Coach]

Here's a question. A good friend of mine pointed this out.

Everybody know who's Iowa's QB is, right. Ricky Stanzi, possibly one of the worst QB's in the NCAA.

How much of Moeaki's injuries are from the direct connection of Stanzi (or any other Iowa QB for that matter) exposing him by horrific passing?

[BigChiefFan]

Good player, but I don't consider it much value, especially having to trade up for him. Short of catching 50 passes plus next year, I consider it an average move with some upside, but I fail to see how it addresses our attrocious defense.

[FloridaMan88]

Jimmy Graham will be 10 times more effective in the NFL than Moeaki.

[Mr. Laz]

like moeaki ... don't like that he cost us the 5th too.


wasn't Pitta was still on the board too?

[Iowanian]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

Jimmy Graham will be 10 times more effective in the NFL than Moeaki.

I'll take some of that action.

It's pretty obvious who did and did not watch any Hawkeye games.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

By God, I've got goosebumps. He's got Tony Gonzalez written all over him.

Goodbye Cottam.

Not so fast, my source says they are going to fatten up Cottam, and make him the NT.