Connor Barwin planning a visit with the Chiefs

[Tribal Warfare]

Barwin Adds Another Visit
by Ed Thompson of ScoutNFLNetwork.com, March 27, 2009 at 7:58am ET



Scout.com has been told that University of Cincinnati DE/TE Connor Barwin has an official visit scheduled with the New England Patriots on Friday, March 29-30, according to a source.

The visit signals a strong level of interest from New England, since they also held a private workout with Barwin on March 10.

Barwin's already had an official visit with the Buffalo Bills in March, but he has four visits planned for April already. He'll kick off his road trips with the Kansas City Chiefs on April 1st and 2nd, then he's off to Tennessee to meet with the Titans on the 5th and 6th. Then it's off to Jacksonville for a visit on the 12th and 13th followed by the Rams on the 15th and 16th.

[bdeg]

I think part of our issue was definitely not having anybody at MLB. The fact that we gave Napoleon Harris 24 mil made us look like the raiders.

I was just hoping we'd find a good MLB in the 2nd or 3rd. Like someone else mentioned the Eagles have mastered getting lb's late.
I'm not sure exactly how the value translates going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 ILB.

[Tribal Warfare]

Several Players Test Positive

April 3rd, 2009 Shawn Posted in Zobel's Blog |

According to NFL Draft Bible, Percy Harvin, Jose Martinez, and Vontae Davis all tested positive for marijuana, while Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing tested positive for steroids. SI.com has also reported that B.J. Raji tested positive, for marijuana as well.

First off, how dumb can some players get? Like I’ve said before, I don’t normally call players out, but things like this are just amazing. These players know that they will be tested at the Combine, yet they still decide to use the drugs. For a player with that bad of decision making, it makes you question whether you’d want to use a first round pick on them, which is the case for 5/6’s of the players that were in the reports.

This is big news on the draft front. I personally think that the steroids issue with the two USC linebackers is biggest. Cushing has been under the spotlight for quite awhile now, so not many people will be surprised about this. It’s very disappointing to hear that Matthews tested positive, if it’s true. A former walk-on, Clay had worked hard to develop into a starter on the top defense in the nation. You just had really hoped that he was able to do it without taking steroids. This could hurt each player’s draft stock.

At the Combine there were two player who scouts continually told me had attitude problems, and that is Percy Harvin and Vontae Davis. By more than two or three teams I was told that they were bad characters off the field. With this news, both players will see their draft stock drop. If I was running a draft, I wouldn’t touch either of them. I love Harvin’s playmaking ability, but his attitude problems and now this make it too much for me to want to draft him. I detailed each player’s problems in my 2009 Draft Preview.

Jose Martinez could potentially lose his chance of playing in the NFL if the report is true. From a team’s standpoint, when there are several kickers to choose from every year, why would you take a chance on a rookie who tested positive for an illegal drug?

B.J. Raji may lose more money out of this than any other player. A potential Top 10 pick, I now think that Raji could likely fall to the ‘teens to a team like Denver, if they don’t trade up.

- With five of the top 84 picks, I think that it’s fairly likely that Broncos will attempt to trade up to draft USC’s Mark Sanchez. To assure themselves that they will get him, Denver will likely need to trade up to No. 3 overall with Kansas City in order to move ahead of Seattle, who could take Sanchez.

- The Ravens will reportedly be looking at wide receiver in the first round this year.

- The Chiefs told Cincinnati’s Connor Barwin that they would move him to outside linebacker if Kansas City drafted him. One interesting note from Barwin: “They [Kansas City] said they had the third pick right now but that things could change.”

- Like I said in my mock draft, there’s a realistic chance the New Orleans could select Beanie Wells in the first round.

[The Franchise]

- With five of the top 84 picks, I think that it’s fairly likely that Broncos will attempt to trade up to draft USC’s Mark Sanchez. To assure themselves that they will get him, Denver will likely need to trade up to No. 3 overall with Kansas City in order to move ahead of Seattle, who could take Sanchez.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

- The Chiefs told Cincinnati’s Connor Barwin that they would move him to outside linebacker if Kansas City drafted him. One interesting note from Barwin: “They [Kansas City] said they had the third pick right now but that things could change.”

Awesome!

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Awesome!

can I call it or what

[Chiefnj2]

The Chiefs aren't trading with the Broncos.

[bdeg]

This part should also be noted

"At the Combine there were two player who scouts continually told me had attitude problems, and that is Percy Harvin and Vontae Davis. By more than two or three teams I was told that they were bad characters off the field. With this news, both players will see their draft stock drop. If I was running a draft, I wouldn’t touch either of them. I love Harvin’s playmaking ability, but his attitude problems and now this make it too much for me to want to draft him. I detailed each player’s problems in my 2009 Draft Preview."

I didn't realize Harvin was being grouped with Vontae on this.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

The Chiefs aren't trading with the Broncos.

But they are trading, if at all possible. And that's all that matters.

[Mecca]

I'd love for someone to tell me what the attitude problems they have are....this is the time of year where looking at someone wrong is an attitude problem.

[bdeg]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'd love for someone to tell me what the attitude problems they have are....this is the time of year where looking at someone wrong is an attitude problem.

I've heard numerous reports

Here's one

"Talks down to coaches. Prima Donna--thinks he walks on water and does not respect others. Beat too often and quits on plays--lacks mental toughness. Babies injuries to escape practice. Does not work at the craft. Does not make mental adjustments.

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs trying to match team's shopping list with draft slots
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Because of the trade that brought quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel from New England, the Chiefs have no selection in between the first and third rounds of the upcoming draft.

They are proceeding as if they’ll pick later in the first round, sometime in the second or perhaps both. They entertained three highly regarded defensive prospects Thursday at their Truman Sports Complex headquarters — defensive end Brian Orakpo of Texas and linebackers Connor Barwin of Cincinnati and James Laurinaitis of Ohio State.

Orakpo, who had 11 sacks for the Longhorns last season, is one of the draft’s most coveted players, and the Chiefs could choose him with their top pick, third overall.

Barwin and Laurinaitis will probably be selected later in the first round or possibly the second. That is no-man’s land for the Chiefs currently but maybe not by the time the draft rolls around.

“We kind of touched on that a little bit,” Barwin said. “The Chiefs asked me how high I thought I would be drafted. I said I expected to be drafted in the first round, but I didn’t think I would go as high as the third pick overall.

“They said they had the third pick right now but that things could change. They never told me I’d be a Chief, but they did say they didn’t know what draft picks they might have April 25.”

When Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was personnel director for New England, the Patriots were aggressive traders when it came to the draft. They frequently tried to collect extra draft picks and were usually successful.

Of the nine drafts in which Pioli was involved, six times the Patriots made more than their originally allotted seven picks.

The Chiefs this year have seven picks. They are missing their second-rounder but picked up an extra selection at the end of the seventh round as a compensatory pick.

Barwin in particular looks like a Pioli kind of player. He had 10 sacks last season, his first in college as a defensive player.

“From what they told me, it looks like I’m a guy who would be a pressure player in their 3-4 defense,” Barwin said. “Primarily, I’d be a guy that could rush the passer from a standup position at outside linebacker and also drop into coverage at times.”

The Chiefs also value Barwin for his versatility. He was a tight end during his first three collegiate seasons, catching 31 passes as a junior. Barwin said some teams he’s talked to are interested in him primarily as a tight end.

The Chiefs are not among them, but he said they indicated plans to use him as an extra tight end in certain situations.

Barwin was moved to defense as a senior because his coaches thought he could have more impact there than on offense. The Bearcats moved to the spread, largely eliminating the need for a tight end.

“I think it was good for me,” he said. “I got to show teams my versatility. I can play defense, but I can always go back to tight end, too.”

Vrabel is, like Barwin, an outside linebacker. He was also an effective pass receiver as an extra tight end for the Patriots in goal-line and short-yardage situations.

“I know all about what Mike’s done as a linebacker and catching passes as an extra tight end,” Barwin said. “That would be an ideal mentor for me to learn from right away.”

Vrabel was also a defensive end in college at Ohio State. He had to make the transition to linebacker in the NFL, just as Barwin will.

“I have some foundation for that from high school,” Barwin said. “I played that position in high school. But there are teams, and the Chiefs I guess are one of them, that think I can play that position in the NFL, too. I’m good playing in open areas, but I can also rush the quarterback, too.”

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by bdeg

I've heard numerous reports

Here's one

"Talks down to coaches. Prima Donna--thinks he walks on water and does not respect others. Beat too often and quits on plays--lacks mental toughness. Babies injuries to escape practice. Does not work at the craft. Does not make mental adjustments.

So basically "he's Vernon Davis brother" is enough.

[Chiefnj2]

KC is looking to see how wide the gap is between the top guys and the next tier.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

KC is looking to see how wide the gap is between the top guys and the next tier.

They're scouting the players they'll have a shot at after they trade down.

[The Franchise]

Have they had private meetings with any of the top people? Stafford? Monroe? Smith? Curry?

I'm pretty sure they've met with Smith and Curry.