[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Wait, I'll make up a bunch of stuff and post it as fact and then go to YouTube to try to support every claim I make.

OKUNG FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since you obviously don't approve of highlight videos, here's a couple of reports/analysis on Graham:

Pass rush: Relentless rusher able to pressure the quarterback lining up on the strong or weak side. Lines up at five-technique in some passing situations. Uses his strength, balance and lack of height to get under shoulder pads of tackle. Strong, violent hands to beat his man straight-out or disengage. Lacks a consistent counter move. Has an inside spin move but rarely shows it. Despite his stout build, Graham drops into zone coverage easily and shows some fluidity in space. Backpedal is slow, as expected, but he will still get a shot as a linebacker for a 3-4 team. Lines up wide so he can turn the corner against slower tackles, will struggle to do so against NFL tackles.

Run defense: Can punch the tackle to disengage or maintain the angle to force the action inside when run plays are coming his way. Occasionally gets skinny to penetrate on inside runs. Stays home to contain, watch for bootlegs and stop reverses. Must be more consistent using his hands to defeat cut blocks, although he can still make the tackle after a cut as he recovers fairly well. Has a good motor, works hard to get down the line on runs away from him. Lacks elite speed to chase down NFL backs consistently.

Strengths:

Brandon Graham has a very quick first step and a relentless motor. He has a nice repertoire of pass rush moves. Graham appears to have more than adequate strength, especially in his lower body. He uses his hands very well and can "dip and rip" through blocks. He has quick, concise movements and takes a direct path to the quarterback as a pass rusher. He does a good job of staying under control and doesn't whiff on sacks when he gets to the quarterback. Graham diagnoses plays well and can scrape down the line well on run plays. He has good balance and always seems to be moving in the right direction despite being chipped or having any trash in his way. Graham typically takes nice angles on action away from him. He seems to have very nice, fluid lateral movement. He is somewhat versatile in that he could be a 3-4 OLB or a Tampa 2 type DE.

Weakness:

As in most 3-4 defensive prospects, there is the projection factor to look at. You have to take what he has done at Michigan and project that not only to the next level, but to a very different position. Despite the recent success of some smaller rush ends, you have to take Graham's height into consideration. He needs to play with a better pad level. His hips appear to be on the stiff side and dropping into coverage could be an issue. He can struggle in space against the run. His arms appear shorter than scouts like. His overall athletic ability could be marginal.

Analysis:

Brandon Graham can be viewed as a boom or bust prospect. He certainly has a lot to like, but he also has his fair share of question marks. With a prospect like Graham there is always a lot of uncertainty involved because of the projection factor. With that said, I think teams are going to have a hard time ignoring his explosiveness off the edge. The NFL covets pass rushers and Graham could be a very good one. He might make the smoothest transition to the NFL if he were to end up playing in a Tampa 2 defense, but his ultimate upside is probably as a 3-4 OLB. If he does end up on a 3-4 team he will take some time to develop. At this point I feel Graham is safely within the first round.

Pros

Non-stop powerful motor
Very Physical at point of attack
Very Strong
Great Character, hard worker
Bevy of moves, ability to work his man up the middle, around the outside, or bull rush
Plays with great pad level
Uses his hands extremely well
Does a great job in pursuit, never quits on a play
Great instincts and ability to diagnose plays, which makes him very good in stuffing the run.
Gets out of stance and up field very quickly

Cons

A bit shorter than your prototypical Defensive End
Does not have great speed for his size
Sometimes, can get engulfed by big Lineman
Has a tough time with double teams.

I just don't know what he's going to give you over a guy like Hali, especially when you take into account the learning curve. I doubt that he would be truly effective playing the SAM position, and I know Hali wouldn't be able to play it so you'd be drafting him to replace Hali. As such, did Hali's performance this past season dictate that the Chiefs need to consider using a high draft pick for a replacement?