Thanks! And thoughts on the final draft grade?

[JPH83]

Just wanted to give a hat tip to a few people here for their work over the draft season.

Dante for the visits tracker and insane work on getting info on the picks up so quickly

Crow for the immense detail and knowledge provided on prospects. I always learn stuff from you each year. Much appreciated.

Staylor for the mock draft. Amazed we made it, thanks for putting in the effort to keep it on the road man

Coach for starting loads of interesting threads to ponder and general enthusiasm for all things draft. You seem like a real solid dude as well.

And then there's a load of you who know loads more than I do about scheme fits and specific skillsets etc.which includes those above, but also DJ, Duncan, Chris Meck, Run...probably loads of others.

Thanks all, I really enjoy this time of year, and I'm pretty happy with how this year's draft has gone. Reckon I'd give it an -A. What do you think?

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by fuzzy

Josh Simmons is not worth a 7 round pick. That's absurd.

I didn't say he was "worth a 7th" but his chances of hitting are actually worse than a 7th rounder hitting. When I spoke to this pre-draft, I said I'd take a chance in the 3rd round because I felt like this injury was too much of a risk but the talent is there if it works out.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by fuzzy

Josh Simmons is not worth a 7 round pick. That's absurd.

fuzzy’s reading comprehension is actually not worth a 7 round pick.

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I didn't say he was "worth a 7th" but his chances of hitting are actually worse than a 7th rounder hitting. When I spoke to this pre-draft, I said I'd take a chance in the 3rd round because I felt like this injury was too much of a risk but the talent is there if it works out.

I say his chances of hitting are way better than a 7th rounder.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'm more than fine saying that LT was the biggest problem on the OL last year.

If we can also acknowledge that based on those same stats, PM was the 2nd worst QB in the entire NFL in creating his own pressure. Nix was the only guy in the league who was responsible for a larger percentage of the pressures against than Mahomes.

Nix was a rookie with a steady OL so it stands to reason that he'd be responsible for a fairly high percentage of the pressures against him.

PM had a pretty serious issue at LT and has a ton of experience at this point.

An average OT can make things easier for him, yes. But he did a lot to make things harder for himself last year and he absolutely must improve in that regard. Not his OL, not his weapons - HIM.

Yeah I agree here. Would you say the OL issues were a part of this issue? It feels like bailing pockets and issues with the deep ball were in part bc of the LT getting him knocked to the ground over and over again.

As the year went on it looked like he was seeing ghosts and his footwork/technique was sped up leading misses downfield.

Feels like it’s a sum of all of those issues compounding on each other along with horrifically slow weapons outside of Worthy for 90% of the season.

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Yeah I agree here. Would you say the OL issues were a part of this issue? It feels like bailing pockets and issues with the deep ball were in part bc of the LT getting him knocked to the ground over and over again.

As the year went on it looked like he was seeing ghosts and his footwork/technique was sped up leading misses downfield.

Feels like it’s a sum of all of those issues compounding on each other along with horrifically slow weapons outside of Worthy for 90% of the season.

Worthy was a rookie. Rice and Hollywood were injured. Kelce is old and slow. We draft late every year.

We have seen a major depletion of offensive talent the past few years. Last year Mahomes simply had very little to work with. There just wasn't much there at all. I'm hoping the additions of Hollywood and Rice help. To go along with better LT play and a 2nd year Worthy.

[Wallymo]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I just think that at this point, people refuse to see how great the odds are stacked against this working out and have decided to cling to optimism to the 10th degree. That's fine. I'm optimistic at this point as well, but I won't be blind to the fact that my optimism is much like when I buy a lottery ticket. There are incredibly unfavorable odds, but there's a chance. And if the ticket hits, it's life-altering. Most likely, though, I'll have to throw that ticket in the recycling bin.

I think a lot of us aren't refusing to see the odds so much, but choosing to be optimistic based on Burkhalter, Veach and Andy believing it worth the chance. We know Simmons is likely to be a bust due to either his patella injury or the randomness of which college LTs transition their success to the league. But we hope anyway.

Because otherwise we would cry. Five starting left tackles in two years is a disaster. The position needs a solution. I'm very much on board with Veach's decision to pay Moore (for two years) and then use our first round pick to try and reinforce the position. He also knows it must be fixed if the offense is to be the best version of itself.

So yeah, hope. Beats the alternative.

[Wallymo]

Originally Posted by fuzzy

We have seen a major depletion of offensive talent the past few years. Last year Mahomes simply had very little to work with. There just wasn't much there at all. I'm hoping the additions of Hollywood and Rice help. To go along with better LT play and a 2nd year Worthy.

If healthy, Rice, Worthy, Hollywood and Royals will be the best, most balanced wide receiver room the Chiefs have provided for Mahomes.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by fuzzy

I say his chances of hitting are way better than a 7th rounder.

I guess here's a way to look at it...

At this point, all YOU really get (and ALL of us) is a coin flip. It's yes or no.

The odds, pre-draft, said don't take him so early. That's behind us, Veach, Burkholder, Reid, etc. They made their choice.

Cling to your optimism. We honestly NEED it to work out.

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Wallymo

If healthy, Rice, Worthy, Hollywood and Royals will be the best, most balanced wide receiver room the Chiefs have provided for Mahomes.

Maybe. Not expecting too much from a rookie Royals. But yea, prime versions of Kelce, Tyreek, Watkins and Conley was nasty. Plus you had above average Tackle play. Mahomes definitely had a lot more to work with back then.

We will see how the upcoming season goes. Hoping Worthy Makes the year 2 jump.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by kccrow

In the spirit of fairness, you need to acknowledge at least that Simmons did start all of 2023 at LT for Ohio State, so he does have more than 6 total games there and against better competition in the 2nd half of 2023.

I have acknowledged that.

And he entered the season anywhere from 50-75 as a prospect.

It was those six games that had people moving him into the first round, let alone top 10.

[SAGA45]

Originally Posted by kccrow

The odds, pre-draft, said don't take him so early. That's behind us, Veach, Burkholder, Reid, etc. They made their choice.

A choice based on intimate medical information none of us will ever be privy to as well as their collective experience and expertise, particularly Burkholder's. That's enough to be optimistic for some. All that's left to do now is wait and see.

[poolboy]

I still dont get why Burkholder is held in such high esteem on the Simmons pick
he is not an MD, he couldnt sign off on the surgery....He is a primo physical therapist that is going along to get along with the rehab

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by poolboy

I still dont get why Burkholder is held in such high esteem on the Simmons pick
he is not an MD, he couldnt sign off on the surgery....He is a primo physical therapist that is going along to get along with the rehab

It’s hopium.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by poolboy

I still dont get why Burkholder is held in such high esteem on the Simmons pick
he is not an MD, he couldnt sign off on the surgery....He is a primo physical therapist that is going along to get along with the rehab

Yep. He doesn't even have a PhD. He's a MS in Athletic Training and has load of experience as an athletic trainer. Do I see him as qualified to give a sound opinion? Yes, for sure.

His opinion doesn't give me more optimism though. There's 25 years of sound data that tells me his opinion really doesn't matter. Only Simmons' body is going to matter.

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It’s hopium.

I have got the 2027 season mentally marked down for Simmons. The 2025 season will likely be a redshirt year where he focuses on gaining the strength and mobility back in his leg. 2026 will essentially be his rookie season where he gets his feet wet against NFL caliber pass rushers. And 2027 will be the year of truth.

Check back in 3 years when Simmons proves to be the franchise Left Tackle for the remainder of Mahomes career.