Mock Draft (2/6/12)

[Direckshun]

I'm just going to get ridiculous here and play the game I want to play.

I am not going to be committing to need as much as might be demanded. I'm just going to give you guys a little bit of a look as to some alternate ideas the Chiefs could embrace.

Assumptions:

1. ILB Jovan Belcher is tendered.

4. WR Dwayne Bowe is franchised.

5. The Chiefs are outbid on Brandon Carr and Wallace Gilberry, losing both.

6. FB Le'Ron McClain, TE Leonard Pope, ILB Brandon Siler, OLB Andy Studebaker, CB Travis Daniels, and S Jon McGraw are all signed to one-year deals.

7. RB Thomas Jones, WR Jerheme Urban, OT Barry Richardson, C Casey Wiegmann, NT Kelly Gregg are all parted with.

On with the show.

1. CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama



Losing Brandon Carr? Fear not. Well... fear a little. You're losing a starting caliber, big-bodied corner who plays the angles so well, he's in the rare echelon of corners that quarterbacks simply don't test. The problem is, he's going to cost $50 million when you've already spent that on your other corner. Resigning Carr would be good for the on-field product, but potentially ugly for the cap situation.

So, let's go with somebody bigger than Carr, and faster than Carr. Somebody that will be able to play that incredibly valuable role that Carr plays: the ability to be left out on the island against some of the most physically intimidating receivers the NFL has to offer.

If we let Carr go, Kirkpatrick is our best pick. No QBs justify the #11/#12 overall, and all the other talent play the devalued positions of right tackle, guard, or running back. Let's stay with the tried and true pattern of spending the best picks on the best players at the best positions, and continue this rebuild at the fastest possible speed.

2. DE/DT Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati



This is a pretty narrow draft if you're looking for somebody to create havoc in your opponent's backfield from the middle of the defensive line. Ever Brockers and Still, the two best defensive tackles in the 2012 draft class, aren't sack artists.

Wolfe is. With Dorsey likely in the last year of his contract, and Allen Bailey on deck to fill his spot, the Chiefs will need to continue beefing up their defensive line rotation to wear down offensive lines over the course of the season.

And unlike Dorsey (and Jackson), Wolfe is a tireless machine who lives in the backfield. He totaled 9.5 sacks last season. No other tackle comes close. If he somehow slips down into the second round, this is a pick we'd be smart to make.

3. OT Mitchell Schwartz, California



A team captain, Schwartz is the kind of offensive lineman that Pioli drools over. He is huge with fantastic athleticism. I thought this guy looked great all season for Cal, but in that mid-round overachiever way. His performance at the Senior Bowl was aces, however, opening up great lanes and stoning at both tackle positions. A born and bred right tackle.

4. RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati



We all saw Pead spring out at the Senior Bowl. Such great athleticism and ability to blast through holes. Jamaal Charles is a brilliant runner, but we can't rely on him coming off his horrific injury. At the very least, Pead offers this team yet another playmaker who will try harder than everybody else on the field.

5. RB Tauren Poole, Tennessee



The bruiser this team needs, Poole boasts good size and great vision. Thomas Jones is out the door and Battle has no contract. Poole is tailor-made for the zone blocking system, and size-wise is a perfect compliment for Charles, Pead, and McCluster.

6. FS Rashard Hall, Clemson



Hall is a really special athlete by late-round standards, and his highlight reels have all kinds of high-flying acrobatics as he makes countless plays on the ball. Hall is a ball hawk that this team sorely needs to groom behind Kendrick Lewis and push him for that starting position. Hall's weakness is between the ears, primarily as he struggles with discipline and keeping his assignments. I am taking the assumption at this point that Hall can be coached up.

7. C/OG Adam Gettis, Iowa



A perfect Pioli offensive lineman prospect. He comes from a school that loves offensive line, and Pioli's no doubt been spying him for months as he plays a couple spots down from Riley Reiff. Gettis (the guy opening the hole above on the left) is super athletic, and can pull as well as most of the prospects coming out in this draft. It's a perfect fit for Kansas City.

The problem is that he's only 280 lbs. You can start him on the interior line depth chart behind Darryl Harris as Asamoah, Hudson, and Lilja man the posts. But he's going to take a year or so to get up to the size he needs to be at. If you can get him there, he already has the skillset he needs to be successful.