Tribal Warfare
05-03-2010, 10:47 PM
Chiefs harbor high hopes for this year’s draft class (http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/03/1921700/chiefs-harbor-high-hopes-for-this.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
In the small, clannish football world, players are never really strangers. The seven players selected by the Chiefs in the recent draft have crossed paths before, even if just for a passing nod at the NFL’s scouting combine.
Those seven — Eric Berry, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, Jon Asamoah, Tony Moeaki, Kendrick Lewis and Cameron Sheffield — didn’t become truly acquainted until the Chiefs brought them to Kansas City for last weekend’s rookie camp.
“It’s a good group of guys,” said Moeaki, a third-round tight end from Iowa. “I just met them a couple of days ago, but everyone seems like we’re really in tune on trying to come in and learn the playbook and make the team.”
If this group of seven merely makes the team, the Chiefs may never climb out of the hole they’re in now.
Most of their nine picks in 2001, for instance, eventually made the team, but none developed into a consistently reliable player. That draft stands among those responsible for the Chiefs’ current predicament.
But for now, the Chiefs harbor the hopes that this year’s rookie crop breaks the spell of bad Kansas City drafts and sets the team back on the course to respectability and beyond.
“I think these guys have a good energy about them,” coach Todd Haley said when the rookie camp concluded. “There are some good personalities in this group, which is important. You’ve got to have some personality on teams, and I would say I like that about these guys. They’re fun. It’s nice, pleasant, to be around these guys. I should say it doesn’t appear too big right now for them, which is a good sign.”
Judgments should be made sparingly, if at all, regarding three days’ worth of practice and meetings. The Chiefs won’t begin full-squad workouts for another couple of weeks and won’t practice for real until training camp this summer.
Haley was cautious in making them, saying only that the rookies were off to a good start.
“The young guys got through their first weekend with us,” Haley said. “I feel it was very, very productive in a lot of different areas. Kind of how I felt to start out with these guys, I’m excited about these guys.
“I think across the board, the guys got better as the weekend went on. I thought we kind of looked like the Bad News Bears on the first one and by (Sunday’s conclusion), I thought it was a much smoother operation across the board, which told me the guys were understanding a little more.”
Much attention has been naturally focused on Berry, the fifth overall pick in the draft. He’s been called the best safety prospect to come along in years and one with the skills necessary to help improve Kansas City’s forlorn defense.
But Berry spent at least part of his weekend watching practice. He sprained his toe during a predraft workout.
“I really just want to come in and just contribute to the team,” Berry said, singing the company line. “I just want to come in, show that I work hard, show that I’m dedicated to this team and wherever that might take me. … If that puts me in a leadership role, then so be it. I just really want to come in and show the guys that I’m accountable and show that I can be depended upon.”
Even if Berry becomes a star, this draft won’t be successful for the Chiefs if he’s all they get from it. In 2004, the Chiefs found an unheralded player in the fourth round and turned Jared Allen into a star, but the rest of their draft that year was a waste.
So other than second-round cornerback Arenas, who like Berry has an injury but should be ready to play in a couple of weeks, the Chiefs got a long look at their other picks. They had McCluster, their other second-round pick, in a variety of roles, from slot receiver to running back to punt returner.
Perhaps the most impressive of the rookies was Moeaki, who looked as if he could be a nice addition to the passing game.
Moeaki gave the defense fits during the only full-squad portion of practice that was open to reporters. His ability to get down the field exceeds that of veterans Leonard Pope and Brad Cottam.
Moeaki wasn’t quite ready to declare himself a worthy successor to Tony Gonzalez.
“He has a billion catches,” Moeaki said, “and I have zero.”
Asamoah, the other third-round pick, gives the Chiefs a developmental offensive lineman with a chance to succeed. That’s important for this reason: The Chiefs have a horrible record of drafting and developing players at his position.
The last lineman drafted by the Chiefs below the first round to become a solid player for them? Try Will Shields, selected in the third round in 1993.
Lewis, a safety, and Sheffield, an outside linebacker, were picked in the fifth round and are also developmental players. But Lewis may get a chance soon because the Chiefs are short on established safeties.
Sheffield has some ability as a pass rusher. The Chiefs, who had just 10 sacks in 2008 and 22 last year, are in no position to deny a pass rusher a good, long look.
And rush the quarterback is what Sheffield is in Kansas City to do.
“They didn’t tell me that quite exactly,” said Sheffield, whose smile would indicate the Chiefs told him something along those lines. “I am just doing whatever they tell me to do. I will find out my role sooner or later.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
In the small, clannish football world, players are never really strangers. The seven players selected by the Chiefs in the recent draft have crossed paths before, even if just for a passing nod at the NFL’s scouting combine.
Those seven — Eric Berry, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, Jon Asamoah, Tony Moeaki, Kendrick Lewis and Cameron Sheffield — didn’t become truly acquainted until the Chiefs brought them to Kansas City for last weekend’s rookie camp.
“It’s a good group of guys,” said Moeaki, a third-round tight end from Iowa. “I just met them a couple of days ago, but everyone seems like we’re really in tune on trying to come in and learn the playbook and make the team.”
If this group of seven merely makes the team, the Chiefs may never climb out of the hole they’re in now.
Most of their nine picks in 2001, for instance, eventually made the team, but none developed into a consistently reliable player. That draft stands among those responsible for the Chiefs’ current predicament.
But for now, the Chiefs harbor the hopes that this year’s rookie crop breaks the spell of bad Kansas City drafts and sets the team back on the course to respectability and beyond.
“I think these guys have a good energy about them,” coach Todd Haley said when the rookie camp concluded. “There are some good personalities in this group, which is important. You’ve got to have some personality on teams, and I would say I like that about these guys. They’re fun. It’s nice, pleasant, to be around these guys. I should say it doesn’t appear too big right now for them, which is a good sign.”
Judgments should be made sparingly, if at all, regarding three days’ worth of practice and meetings. The Chiefs won’t begin full-squad workouts for another couple of weeks and won’t practice for real until training camp this summer.
Haley was cautious in making them, saying only that the rookies were off to a good start.
“The young guys got through their first weekend with us,” Haley said. “I feel it was very, very productive in a lot of different areas. Kind of how I felt to start out with these guys, I’m excited about these guys.
“I think across the board, the guys got better as the weekend went on. I thought we kind of looked like the Bad News Bears on the first one and by (Sunday’s conclusion), I thought it was a much smoother operation across the board, which told me the guys were understanding a little more.”
Much attention has been naturally focused on Berry, the fifth overall pick in the draft. He’s been called the best safety prospect to come along in years and one with the skills necessary to help improve Kansas City’s forlorn defense.
But Berry spent at least part of his weekend watching practice. He sprained his toe during a predraft workout.
“I really just want to come in and just contribute to the team,” Berry said, singing the company line. “I just want to come in, show that I work hard, show that I’m dedicated to this team and wherever that might take me. … If that puts me in a leadership role, then so be it. I just really want to come in and show the guys that I’m accountable and show that I can be depended upon.”
Even if Berry becomes a star, this draft won’t be successful for the Chiefs if he’s all they get from it. In 2004, the Chiefs found an unheralded player in the fourth round and turned Jared Allen into a star, but the rest of their draft that year was a waste.
So other than second-round cornerback Arenas, who like Berry has an injury but should be ready to play in a couple of weeks, the Chiefs got a long look at their other picks. They had McCluster, their other second-round pick, in a variety of roles, from slot receiver to running back to punt returner.
Perhaps the most impressive of the rookies was Moeaki, who looked as if he could be a nice addition to the passing game.
Moeaki gave the defense fits during the only full-squad portion of practice that was open to reporters. His ability to get down the field exceeds that of veterans Leonard Pope and Brad Cottam.
Moeaki wasn’t quite ready to declare himself a worthy successor to Tony Gonzalez.
“He has a billion catches,” Moeaki said, “and I have zero.”
Asamoah, the other third-round pick, gives the Chiefs a developmental offensive lineman with a chance to succeed. That’s important for this reason: The Chiefs have a horrible record of drafting and developing players at his position.
The last lineman drafted by the Chiefs below the first round to become a solid player for them? Try Will Shields, selected in the third round in 1993.
Lewis, a safety, and Sheffield, an outside linebacker, were picked in the fifth round and are also developmental players. But Lewis may get a chance soon because the Chiefs are short on established safeties.
Sheffield has some ability as a pass rusher. The Chiefs, who had just 10 sacks in 2008 and 22 last year, are in no position to deny a pass rusher a good, long look.
And rush the quarterback is what Sheffield is in Kansas City to do.
“They didn’t tell me that quite exactly,” said Sheffield, whose smile would indicate the Chiefs told him something along those lines. “I am just doing whatever they tell me to do. I will find out my role sooner or later.”