Gosselin: Chiefs see promise in rookie class

[CosmicPal]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...n.2601512.html

06:15 PM CDT on Saturday, August 21, 2010

Column by RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
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Head coach Todd Haley of the Kansas City Chiefs knows what a quality draft looks like.

His father, Dick Haley, presided over a Pittsburgh draft in 1974 as personnel director of the Steelers that produced four future Hall of Famers: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert , John Stallworth and Mike Webster.

His 2010 Chiefs have not played a down yet, but Todd Haley knows Kansas City may have already struck gold with its draft last April.

"This is a unique group," Haley said of his seven-player class. "Every one of these guys could be a big help this year. A couple years from now, you might say this [draft] was the catalyst for the Kansas City Chiefs becoming a good football team."

After a 4-12 finish in his first season as head coach, Haley needs this rookie class to have an impact.

First-round draft pick Eric Berry is a walk-in starter at strong safety for the Chiefs. Second-round pick Dexter McCluster gives Haley a Reggie Bush-type offensive dimension with his three-pronged ability to run, catch and return kicks. Third-round pick Javier Arenas will be the team's primary kick returner and nickel cornerback.

Third-rounder Tony Moeaki could start at tight end, and fifth-rounder Kendrick Lewis could start at free safety.

Third-rounder Jon Asamoah pencils in as the third guard behind Brian Waters, who has started in Pro Bowls, and Ryan Lilja, who has started in Super Bowls. Fifth-rounder Cameron Sheffield is making the transition from defensive end in college to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme and could wind up in the nickel pass-rush package.

"It's the most mature and professional group of rookies I've ever been around," Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said. "From the moment they arrived here, they're all about football all the time. They're not getting caught up in the hype. They don't think they have arrived in any way. That's critical for their development. Their work ethic is as strong as I've seen – on the field, in the classroom and off the field. It's a really interesting group."

It's also a high-character group. Six of the seven draft picks were team captains last season. Only Sheffield missed out on that college distinction.

It's also a high-achievement group. Berry was a two-time All-American. McCluster made All-Southeastern Conference twice at different positions, running back and wide receiver. Arenas also was an All-SEC selection and Moeaki the MVP of an Iowa team that finished 11-2, ranked No. 7 in the nation.

"They've all got skill and the other stuff as well – the mental toughness, the will, the discipline," Haley said. "They don't get flustered. You can dig at them, poke them, throw little barbs at them, but they don't rattle. You can't shake them."

Winning in the NFL starts in April. The Chiefs could be on their way.

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[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Agreed. We needed to build an OL and improve our DL in the worst way but I think this was an awesome draft. Our first 3 picks are ALL playmakers. If Moeki can be healthy that may just make 4.

[Direckshun]

It just baffles. This is a draft that really soured me as a Chiefs fan. I will spend much of the next year trying to get over this draft.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

It just baffles. This is a draft that really soured me as a Chiefs fan. I will spend much of the next year trying to get over this draft.

huh? It looks like we may have 4 or 5 guys who can contribute right away......Its hard to complain about that.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

huh? It looks like we may have 4 or 5 guys who can contribute right away......Its hard to complain about that.

I like the players, I hate the picks.

1. Berry -- zero complaints.

2a. McCluster -- reach. This is virtually the equivalent of taking McCluster with a first round pick. This is an embarrassment. Instead, I would have taken Clausen to provide us with some eventual hope at the most important position.

2b. Arenas -- reach. We drafted an iffy corner and a great returner with a second rounder. I mean, holy shit, the value's just not there. We could have picked up any number of nose tackles (Cody), passrushers (Worilds), wide receivers (Williams)...

3a. Asamoah -- decent value, but at a position we don't need. Who drafts a guard in the third round and doesn't start them? Are we reeruned? Why wouldn't we draft a great receiver from USC (Williams)?

3b. Moeaki -- two more picks for a tight end? Ugh. Mardy Gilyard was still available. Daryl Sharpton was available. Bruce Campbell was available. I mean, Christ.

5a. Lewis -- reach. Ed Wang was still around. Cam Thomas was still around.

5b. Sheffield -- no major complaints here.

What we basically did was reach all over the place for team captains. That's what we did. Which is no better than reaching all over the place for linebackers, or offensive linemen, or wide receivers.

This is my draft, if I knew how things would play out (I know):

1. SS Eric Berry, Tennessee
2. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
2. NT Terrance Cody, Alabama
3. WR Damian Williams, USC
3. WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
5. OT Ed Wang, Virginia Tech
5. OLB Cam Sheffield, Troy

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I like the players, I hate the picks.

1. Berry -- zero complaints.

2a. McCluster -- reach. This is virtually the equivalent of taking McCluster with a first round pick. This is an embarrassment. Instead, I would have taken Clausen to provide us with some eventual hope at the most important position.

2b. Arenas -- reach. We drafted an iffy corner and a great returner with a second rounder. I mean, holy shit, the value's just not there. We could have picked up any number of nose tackles (Cody), passrushers (Worilds), wide receivers (Williams)...

3a. Asamoah -- decent value, but at a position we don't need. Who drafts a guard in the third round and doesn't start them? Are we reeruned? Why wouldn't we draft a great receiver from USC (Williams)?

3b. Moeaki -- two more picks for a tight end? Ugh. Mardy Gilyard was still available. Daryl Sharpton was available. Bruce Campbell was available. I mean, Christ.

5a. Lewis -- reach. Ed Wang was still around. Cam Thomas was still around.

5b. Sheffield -- no major complaints here.

What we basically did was reach all over the place for team captains. That's what we did. Which is no better than reaching all over the place for linebackers, or offensive linemen, or wide receivers.

This is my draft, if I knew how things would play out (I know):

1. SS Eric Berry, Tennessee
2. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
2. NT Terrance Cody, Alabama
3. WR Damian Williams, USC
3. WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
5. OT Ed Wang, Virginia Tech
5. OLB Cam Sheffield, Troy

We don't reach for playmakers. If they had the word "raw, project, upside, etc" which was well known under the Peterson regime, then you'd have a argument.

However, all of those guys have produced, given a small sample size (Berry, Dex, and Arenas) during the pre-season game, and I, for once, cannot recall the last time I have been exicted about several guys that could contribute to the team. Hell, even Kendrick Lewis, looked fantastic, and hopefully, will mean the end of the John McGraw era.

Your assessment is way off. The only assessment that I would agree is the TE from Iowa. Other than that, I totally disagree with all of your other assessments. You say drafting a guard that is position we don't need? Apparently, you haven't seen the offensive line play by the first stringers, which is nothing short of brutal, for the most part. And Brian Water's play have dramatically decreased, that it was time to find a replacement one way or another.

[boogblaster]

we could contend in the west .. that said our defense has to step up .. think we have some playmakers with this draft .. we'll see ....

[Demonpenz]

the ****ing thing about clausen is... There's your dude if you are looking to win it all. You ****ing need a dude throwing the ball first. Every year we don't address the lead amigo.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

I've been fine and a fan of this draft class all along....That said there is a long way to go and a lot to prove for all of these guys, but it is nice seeing flashes....unlike our number 3 overall from a year ago.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

2. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
2. NT Terrance Cody, Alabama
3. WR Damian Williams, USC
3. WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
5. OT Ed Wang, Virginia Tech
5. OLB Cam Sheffield, Troy

How do you know if any of these guys will ever amount to anything? You cant make an honest judgement of a draft until a year or two down the road.

[Bugeater]

God I hate preseason articles, well OF COURSE they see promise with them. If they didn't, they wouldn't have ****ing drafted them.

[xztop12]

i almost sh^t myself when clausen fell to our 2a, and when cody fell to our 2b. Lol, oh well..

with the mccluster pick and having nothing at QB im not convinced that Pioli and Haley havent talked to Bill Parcels about how the league is shifting to a no-qb-wildcat-only scheme in the near future hahaha

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

It just baffles. This is a draft that really soured me as a Chiefs fan. I will spend much of the next year trying to get over this draft.

I read a lot of crazy stuff here, and this has to be one of the strangest.

If you said that about last years draft I could say I understand.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I like the players, I hate the picks.

1. Berry -- zero complaints.

2a. McCluster -- reach. This is virtually the equivalent of taking McCluster with a first round pick. This is an embarrassment. Instead, I would have taken Clausen to provide us with some eventual hope at the most important position.

I love this argument. No, it's not the equivalent of taking him with a first round pick. The equivalent of taking him with a first round pick would be taking him in the first 32.

You let me know what play makers we have on this team besides Charles and then you can make the argument that playmakers are reaches. When it's 3rd and 4, and we throw the ball to this guy in the flat and watch him juke 3 defenders to get 5 yards, then you will be happy he's there and not Lance Long.

2b. Arenas

-- reach. We drafted an iffy corner and a great returner with a second rounder. I mean, holy shit, the value's just not there. We could have picked up any number of nose tackles (Cody), passrushers (Worilds), wide receivers (Williams)...

You can think he's an iffy corner, but I really like his game and what he can turn into at this level. You need a stud nickel in this league now with most teams having 3 solid wideouts. Plus, I think a ton of people undervalue field position around here.

3a. Asamoah

-- decent value, but at a position we don't need. Who drafts a guard in the third round and doesn't start them? Are we reeruned? Why wouldn't we draft a great receiver from USC (Williams)?

It's the end of the world that we aren't starting a guard when he's decent value? Right.

3b. Moeaki

-- two more picks for a tight end? Ugh. Mardy Gilyard was still available. Daryl Sharpton was available. Bruce Campbell was available. I mean, Christ.

Mardy Gilyard can't even beat out Danny Amendola. He's hurt. He has a questionable attitude. I'm not a fan of the Moeaki pick, but come up with some better examples.

5a. Lewis

-- reach. Ed Wang was still around. Cam Thomas was still around.

Ed Wang is really lighting up Buffalo's camp. Lewis is the likely starter week 1, so I fail to see how you can reach on someone and have them be your starter. Cam Thomas would have been nice, but he's such a ****ing horrible interview and a stupid person that he likely spelled his name wrong on the wonderlic test.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I read a lot of crazy stuff here, and this has to be one of the strangest.

If you said that about last years draft I could say I understand.

I actually think he liked last year's draft if I remember correctly.

Baffling.