Grade the rookies.

[Ralphy Boy]

How did they do?

Berry - B+. I was very excited about getting him and wasn't disappointed. He could have doen better but I think he was easily the best rookie safety and was as good as advertised.

McCluster C-. Could almost go with an Incomplete since I don't think they got out of him what Pioli & Haley intended when they drafted him. I'm inclined to think that he was playing injured. Not sure what the plan was for him going into the season, but it didn't work. I wasn't happy when we drafted him, but I'm not writing him off. I'll be curious to see what happens with him if Haley calls the plays next season. Could be that they just felt that they didn't want to put too much on the rookie.

Arenas - C. I expected more out of him as a return man. He didn't embarrass himself but he didn't impress.

Asamoah - Incomplete. Clearly he's talented, but he barely saw the field.

Moeaki - A. I was SO wrong about him being a wasted pick. Very happy that we have him. Still concerned that he'll have injury issues but at this point I think he was a steal.

Lewis B-. Did very well, given the spot he was drafted, but I wouldn't say he solidified his position as a starter.

Sheffield - Incomplete.

[Hootie]

Berry: A
McCluster: C
Arenas: B
Asamoah: B- (played ok in limited snaps, hopefully developing for the future; smart kid)
Moeaki: A- (too many mental mistakes to get a solid A)
Lewis: A- (5th round starter with a few picks and solid play...can't argue with that)

[Hootie]

Draft overall: B+ (with potential to be a solid A if Berry becomes ELITE and McCluster does anything at all)

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Pretty accurate. I was really dissapointed in our return game this year, after game one against SD I thought we had a great season ahead.

[Deberg_1990]

McCluster showed flashes obviously, but yea he really disappointed me. I think he needs to get bigger because he cant break a tackle to save his life.

I thought he was going to be a slot guy, but that never really happened? Then they gave him a few handoffs at RB in the Ravens game. Whats his position??

[-King-]

Berry: B+ Looked raw in pass coverage early in the season, but improved that real fast. Was a beast on run support.

McCluster: C- or D+ Outside the 49ers game and the Chargers game, he wasn't anything special.

Arenas: B- or C+ Solid nickel CB. Was robbed of a touchdown by Studebaker in the Chargers game.

Asomoah: B Played well when he got the chance

Moeaki: A Had the best hands on the team and was a very very good blocker

Lewis: B+ Wasn't beat a lot. Hell, he was beat less than Berry. Very solid pick.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

McCluster showed flashes obviously, but yea he really disappointed me. I think he needs to get bigger because he cant break a tackle to save his life.

I thought he was going to be a slot guy, but that never really happened? Then they gave him a few handoffs at RB in the Ravens game. Whats his position??

McCluster is the next Chris Johnson. He was not used wisely by Weis. We need to use him as a RB to spell Charles insted of Jones.

[Gonzo]

Berry A-
McCluster D
Arenas B- (he played pretty good D)
Moeaki A
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mr. Laz]

Berry - A- his pass defense skills weren't what i expected but everything else exceeded expectations. Didn't play like a rookie for the most part. Started at a position where experience is normally key.

McCluster - C- should of had the most immediate impact and instead had the least, except for Sheffield due to injury. His skills are making people miss ... as a RB/HB type guy it's the most quickly adaptable position ... most disappointing of all the rookies. I don't see how he's going to LEARN how to make people miss.

Arenas - B- decent returner, strong and can break tackles. wish he was faster. Developing as a nickle guy. We drafted him too high but looks to be a quality player.

Asamoah - B limited playing time but looks good ... expect him to start somewhere next year.

Moeaki - B+ stud potential who made some rookie mistakes but still looking strong. STAYED HEALTHY!!

Lewis B - C+ meh ... a lot of others seem to think he's fantastic or something. I didn't really see it. Safety is a hard position for a rookie so he still gets time.

Sheffield - Incomplete

[Ralphy Boy]

McCluster showed flashes obviously, but yea he really disappointed me. I think he needs to get bigger because he cant break a tackle to save his life.

I thought he was going to be a slot guy, but that never really happened? Then they gave him a few handoffs at RB in the Ravens game. Whats his position??

I can't see him being much bigger and keeping anywhere close the quickness that makes him dangerous. Like I said, I think he's been dinged up for a while and never really recovered from the injury that caused him to miss 5 games mid-season.

I'm hoping Weis just didn't get the vision Haley had for him. One benefit of McDaniels being a potential OC would be the whole Welker thing. Ideally he could take him and Cassel and together the three of them could break down gamefilm of 2008 when Cassel and Welker were together to highlight some of the reasons that Welker caught 111 passes that year.

IMO, if they have any intention of making him into a well rounded Wide Receiver, then they've got to focus his time and attention solely to that role.

[DeezNutz]

We have to factor in slot and expectations. Based on these:

Berry: B
Burned early and numerous breakdowns in coverage. But he developed throughout the year and showed big-play ability. Dude was all over the field early in the playoffs. A "B" is a good grade for a top-five pick due to slot and expectations. He should get consideration for RDPOY.

McCluster: D
Far too little production from a player selected at the top of round two. More sizzle than substance. Yes, he was hurt, but given his body type, this should have been a concern before the draft card was submitted. He must rebound in a big way in '11 and contribute in the slot. Otherwise, this will be a big miss. Blowing out shoes in training camp won't be enough next season.

Arenas: C+
Looks to be a viable nickle corner, despite a poor game in the playoffs. Demonstrated, overall, that he is more than only a STer. Ironically, the big-play returns were few and far between, and many thought this would be his primary strength.

Asamoah: C
This grade is more a criticism of the staff than the player. He simply did not get on the field enough, though he showed much potential in limited snaps. As is, he's the toughest player to grade.

Moeaki: A
Big impact and much consistency from an oft-injured player in college. Looks to be a fantastic selection and provided the other major threat in the passing game outside of Bowe.

Lewis: A
Based on expectations and draft slot, Lewis deserves an "A." Though he showed weakness in run support, 3 INTs and 2 FFs from a fifth-round pick is outstanding production. He and Berry are a very promising set of defensive backs.

Sheffield: --
Edit: Get healthy. Completely forgot. Many apologies.

[Ralphy Boy]

Sheffield: F
Who? Nuff said. But this is a weak grade, as little-nothing was expected from the player.

Injured reserve. Neck injury that hospitalized him in the preseason.

[DeezNutz]

Injured reserve. Neck injury that hospitalized him in the preseason.

Completely forgot. Thank you.

Many apologies.

[Easy 6]

Arenas: C+, he played up to his draft spot, never really seemed to be picked on & made a few highlight plays along the way. Good stuff from a rookie.

Big Jon Stud did just enough in limited action to look pro worthy, D+.

Berry: Total Instant Impact, he's going to be a treasured rookie football card... from day one he was an A & despite the unavoidable rookie gaffes, grew all along the way.

Lewis: Stepped in as a rookie starter & held his own most days, played above his draft spot. like Arenas, i never got the sense that teams were able to consistently pick on him - B.

McCluster - Wasnt physically or mentally ready for the rigors of the NFL, needs another year in the weight room & classroom. Even when erring, he looked quicker than everyone else... with continued good coaching, his ceiling is still unknown. C.

Moeaki - He's kinda like McCluster, only a bit further along... gets nicked a lot but the fix is the same... more pro level conditioning & time learning the nuances of the game in practice. Get that straightened out & TM is an easy 10 year starter. - B

Sheffield? heard his name a few times, but he's mostly just a small city in the UK.

[DaneMcCloud]

Berry: A+

Came out as a junior and played lights out in his first NFL season against the run and steadily improved throughout the season in the passing game. Very instinctual player and should be a 12 year starter.

McCluster: D-

If you throw out his best play of the season (the TD return in game one) and his worst play (fumble), what's left is extremely unimpressive for the #36 pick overall. He was injured for a lengthy period of time and when he returned, he was anything but special. Considering the performance of Koa Misi, Rob Gronkowski, Nate Allen, TJ Ward and even Arrelious Benn, McCluster could be viewed as a F.

Javier Arenas: B

Arenas was average in the return game but was often very good in coverage. He's tough and physical despite his size and his play in the secondary will improve next year.

Jon Asamoah: A

Asamoah started in place of both Waters and Lilja this year and there was no discernible drop off in the quality of play. Considering he's a decade younger than Waters and much younger than Lilja, his ceiling appears to be unlimited. I view him as a ten year starter.

Tony Moeaki: A-

Tony Mo was impressive from the outset. He runs great routes, has great hands and became a better blocker as the year progressed. If he was in New England this season instead of Gronkowski, I have no doubt he'd have matched his numbers and maybe exceeded them.

Kendrick Lewis: B

The Chiefs were clearly a different defense when Lewis was absent. To take the next step, he needs to properly train and condition his body for a full 16 game season in 2011. If he stays healthy for an entire season, the Chiefs will arguably have the best secondary in the NFL.

Cameron Sheffield: Incomplete

Verran Tucker: B

Tucker was an undrafted free agent that made a few nice catches and several important tackles on special teams. I expect him to improve greatly this offseason and catch 20-25 passes in 2011.

Jeremy Horne: Incomplete

Horne "flashed" in preseason but was quickly demoted to the PS in favor of Tucker. The Chiefs like what they saw in Horne and he'll be in training camp in 2011. Hopefully, he'll be able to take a big leap.

[banyon]

How did they do?

Berry - B+. I was very excited about getting him and wasn't disappointed. He could have doen better but I think he was easily the best rookie safety and was as good as advertised.

McCluster C-. Could almost go with an Incomplete since I don't think they got out of him what Pioli & Haley intended when they drafted him. I'm inclined to think that he was playing injured. Not sure what the plan was for him going into the season, but it didn't work. I wasn't happy when we drafted him, but I'm not writing him off. I'll be curious to see what happens with him if Haley calls the plays next season. Could be that they just felt that they didn't want to put too much on the rookie.

Arenas - C. I expected more out of him as a return man. He didn't embarrass himself but he didn't impress.

Asamoah - Incomplete. Clearly he's talented, but he barely saw the field.

Moeaki - A. I was SO wrong about him being a wasted pick. Very happy that we have him. Still concerned that he'll have injury issues but at this point I think he was a steal.

Lewis B-. Did very well, given the spot he was drafted, but I wouldn't say he solidified his position as a starter.

Sheffield - Incomplete.

Only thing I disagree with is that Berry was "easily the best rookie safety", as Earl Thomas had a very good year too. Being a Berry fan, though, I wish what you said was true.

Everything else spot on.

[DaneMcCloud]

Everything else spot on.

Except for the fact that Asamoah played in 15 games filling in for Lilja & Waters and was often an "eligible" tight end.

He also started in place of Lilja in the Buffalo game and there was no dropoff in offensive production.

People that are stating at Asamoah "barely saw the field" clearly weren't paying any attention.

[KurtCobain]

I agree with Dane absolutely one hundred percent on the draft, but I disagree with Tucker.

[banyon]

Except for the fact that Asamoah played in 15 games filling in for Lilja & Waters and was often an "eligible" tight end.

He also started in place of Lilja in the Buffalo game and there was no dropoff in offensive production.

People that are stating at Asamoah "barely saw the field" clearly weren't paying any attention.

fair enough on Asamoah.

[DaneMcCloud]

I agree with Dane absolutely one hundred percent on the draft, but I disagree with Tucker.

Not a fan? I thought for being an undrafted free agent, he played well.

What don't you like about him?

[-King-]

Not a fan? I thought for being an undrafted free agent, he played well.

What don't you like about him?

One thing is that I'm hoping that we have enough talent at WR next year that Verran doesn't even get the opportunity to catch 20 balls.

[DeezNutz]

Absolutely no way that fifth-rounder who played as well as Lewis did cannot be considered an "A."

Outstanding production based on realistic expectations.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Berry: A-

He was a B through the first 10-12 weeks, but he really picked it up towards the end

McCluster: D-

He had one nice punt return against a horribly inept coverage unit and then basically did nothing the rest of the year. He also seemed to have a hard time holding onto the ball. He's definitely not a running back, and I'm not sure he's much of a receiver either.

Arenas: B-

Performed his role well, but he wasn't exactly an impact player. He was barbecued last week. Was the better returner of the two midgets, but he wasn't exactly Devin Hester (despite some dumbass claims to the contrary)

Moeaki: B+

Really outperformed his draft position and stayed healthy after tearing his labia in camp. He may end up being a very poor man's Jason Witten, which is a really good pick

Sheffield: INC. Got his shit fucked up in PS, but was completely invisible before that anyway.

Asamoah: C+. It would have been nice to see him get more run over the declining Ryan Lilja, who was consistently a weak link in the latter half of the season. Seemed to do well in unbalanced formations, though.

Kendrick Lewis: B. I think he may end up being another Sammy Knight type. Not an especially fast or athletic guy, but he's always in the correct spot. That said, he seemed to get dinged way too easily.

[Miles]

Pretty much agree with Dane's take on the class. As someone who saw a decent amount of McCluster in the SEC, I was hopeful he would have shown more this season even with his injury. He did have another very nice play outside of that return but largely disappointing.

Arenas surprised me a bit. Nice to see the draft comments about his ability at corner now look completely off.

[DaneMcCloud]

Absolutely no way that fifth-rounder who played as well as Lewis did cannot be considered an "A."

Outstanding production based on realistic expectations.

I agree but the reason I gave him a "B" was because he missed games due to injury.

Not surprisingly, three of the four games he missed were losses.

[BossChief]

A high ankle sprain to a player with DMCs specific skill set can be devastating.

Hopefully, he is able to recover to 100% by the start of next year and becomes the weapon he was looking like prior to the injury.

[milkman]

Only thing I disagree with is that Berry was "easily the best rookie safety", as Earl Thomas had a very good year too. Being a Berry fan, though, I wish what you said was true.

Everything else spot on.

Earl Thomas played most of his snaps in a cover two shell, an easier assignment than Berry's, by far.

[DeezNutz]

Only thing I disagree with is that Berry was "easily the best rookie safety", as Earl Thomas had a very good year too. Being a Berry fan, though, I wish what you said was true.

Everything else spot on.

Mayock? That you, dude? :)

[DeezNutz]

I agree but the reason I gave him a "B" was because he missed games due to injury.

Not surprisingly, three of the four games he missed were losses.

Fair enough.

[Ralphy Boy]

Except for the fact that Asamoah played in 15 games filling in for Lilja & Waters and was often an "eligible" tight end.

He also started in place of Lilja in the Buffalo game and there was no dropoff in offensive production.

People that are stating at Asamoah "barely saw the field" clearly weren't paying any attention.


I said he barely saw the field but didn't intend it as a knock on him in any way. He looked good in limited duty. Is that better? He certainly was on the field less than all of the other rookies (except Sheffield) and its hard to give him a grade based on what little we saw.

[Rain Man]

I'd rate Arenas higher than everyone else. He was a fine nickel corner, which is a hard job against slot receivers, he had great hands on punt returns, and he actually was a good returner considering he was often hit as soon as he caught the ball. I'd put him at an A-.

I'd rate Berry a little lower than most other people. He was very, very good against the run, but he still needs to improve on the pass. I'm hopeful that he will, and expect him to, but he's not there yet. Nonetheless, I'd give him a B, which is a good grade for a rookie.

McCluster doesn't get a high grade, unfortunately. I'd go with a D+. Again, he showed promise, so I'm hopeful.

Moeaki gets an A-. Awesome performance. It's hard to get an A, but he's close. A few silly mistakes, but he'll fix those.

Lewis gets a B. Good performance, but he missed some time with injuries.

Asamoah got some action and seemed to do well when he filled in. I'd give him a solid B.

I'm pretty darn happy with this group.

[Ralphy Boy]

I agree but the reason I gave him a "B" was because he missed games due to injury.

Not surprisingly, three of the four games he missed were losses.

Strange rationalization coming from a guy who gave Asamoah an A when he only started 1 game.

[Ralphy Boy]

Moeaki gets an A-. Awesome performance. It's hard to get an A, but he's close. A few silly mistakes, but he'll fix those.



I still JIMP thinking about his one-handed catch at the back of the endzone.

[DaneMcCloud]

I said he barely saw the field but didn't intend it as a knock on him in any way. He looked good in limited duty. Is that better? He certainly was on the field less than all of the other rookies (except Sheffield) and its hard to give him a grade based on what little we saw.

Then you weren't paying any attention to his play if you can't grade him.

[Chiefs Rool]

Eric Berry = A+
should have been a pro bowler in his rookie season, kept getting better and better throughout the season. Huge factor in our run D. We have a stud for a long time!

Dexter McCluster = D
his only moment was vs the Chargers in a downpour for a long TD, he hasn't done shit since.

Javier Arenes = C-
was supposed to be the next best thing in the return game, where was that? Ok in pass coverage I guess

Jon Asomoah = B
He seemed pretty good in limited playing time, I didn't really pay much attention to him when he was out there though.

Tony Moeaki = A
A great receiving TE, he seemed to catch everything thrown his way. He did make a lot of mistake while lining up though and caused a lot of illegal formation penalties, but he still gets an A for the awesome one-handed TD catch alone.

Kenderick Lewis = B+
he was pretty damn good and seems like a steal in the 5th round

[chiefzilla1501]

Eric Berry - A - What I care about is how the rookie closes the season, and in that playoff game, he was easily the Chiefs' defensive MVP (in my opinion... not to take away from Hali's performance).

Dexter McCluster - C - First, can people stop saying he's a RB. They need to stop forcing the ball to him. He needs to be a slot receiver, period. Flashed big play potential (many of his big plays were called back/ruined). I also think he'll benefit big time if we bring in a speed receiver.

Javier Arenas - B+ - I don't know that he was toasted in the Ravens' playoff game. I think the defense we played put a guy like him in a really tough spot. We can't rush the passer and that makes his job really difficult. As a return man, he's been adequate at best. As a Nickel Back, he was good pretty much all season long and should get significantly better as our pass rush improves.

Jon Asamoah - B - For a non-starter, got quite a bit of time. I certainly hope he figures more prominently in the mix next year.

Tony Moeaki - A+ - Very high on this pick and surprised to see him get B's and B+'s from many of you. The guy has been a solid receiver but also an absolutely phenomenal blocker. I think he's one of the biggest reasons we were so successful running the ball this year.

Kendrick Lewis - A - I think Dane's point earlier in the year is interesting--was he injury prone because Ole Miss got let out way too late? Possibly. He needs to stay healthy, but frankly, there's just no way you can give less than an A to a fifth round who gets any rookie playing time, let alone who becomes a solid starter

Cameron Sheffield - Incomplete

Verran Tucker - A- - Undrafted rookies aren't supposed to make the roster. Thought he played very well on Special Teams and I think he could become a solid enough #4 receiver for this roster.

Corey Greenwood - B+ - Again to the undrafted rookie thing... this guy was an absolute psycho on special teams.

[Micjones]

Berry: B-

Struggled mightily in pass coverage to start the season, but settled down in that department (over the last half of the season), became an asset and a ballhawk-in-the-making. Berry was stout against the run all year and brought a physical brand of play to this defense. Even proved he can get to the QB when given the opportunity.

McCluster: C-

Showed flashes throughout the year of big play ability, but wasn't able to make them in any consistent way. Proved to be the Chiefs most dangerous returnman, but that isn't saying much. Needs to play smarter next season and learn to be a quick "decision-maker" as well as runner. His absence over a third of the season didn't help.

Javier Arenas: C+

Pretty average returnman, but made some great plays defensively. He proved the game wasn't too big for him as a defender and that he has a place on that unit.

Jon Asamoah: B-

Played well when called upon to sit in for injured starters. Struggled a bit in pass protection, but proved to be every bit as valuable as a run blocker. Definitely figures into the Chiefs future along the Offensive Line.

Tony Moeaki: B+

Came in and proved early on that he wasn't afraid of coming behind the best Tight End the league has ever known. Great hands. Proved he can run after the catch. Is able to get separation. He could stand to be more consistent, but 45+ catches (6 of 20 yards or more), 500 receiving yards and 3 TD's from a rookie pass-catcher is nothing to sneeze at. Impressive campaign.

Kendrick Lewis: B

May very well have been the Chiefs most consistent Safety this season. Was impressive in pass coverage and was able to make quite a few big plays. Kid seems to be in the right place on a regular basis. Played like a veteran at times this year. Could stand to be a more physical defender, but he has time yet to grow.

Verran Tucker: B

Made a couple plays offensively, but not enough to prove he's worthy of serious consideration there next year. His biggest contribution to this football team was probably on Special Teams. Definitely figures into the Chiefs future.

Jeremy Horne: Incomplete

Cameron Sheffield: Incomplete

[Rasputin]

Wish that they didn't put Arenas on ST as much and let him consintrate on nickle. Would have loved to see Berry return a few instead.

I'm stoked about all the rookies this year. McCluster is going to be a work in progress, yes easily the most disapointing one of the bunch but he is young enough an athletic enough that he can learn and become a major contributer as soon as they find his niche' . I'm not disapointed in what his future can hold for us yet. I like McCluster and wait for him to be the guy we want him to be. I don't want to see him get held out to dry by the dang QB and get drilled, & killed, that would give him a short career. McCluster can be a game changer, we just got to learn how to best use him.

I want to say this about Kendrick Lewis. He was a big part of allowing Eric Berry to do the things Eric Berry was doing. I think he was a compliment to Eric Berry and deserves recognitition for that, he was the Robin to the Batman.

Tony Moeki, if only Tony Gonzo could have had a rookie season like that wow, nice start!

We are a much improved team with this draft class.