Let's talk Defensive Line

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Now that said - I think he has a super high floor and if the Chiefs traded up for him in 2 I wouldn't lose my mind. It's just not the direction I'd go.

To be clear, I value what I think he could bring. Not enough to pick him straight up at 31, but am very comfortable with the idea of going and getting him at an appropriate point in day two.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

To be clear, I value what I think he could bring. Not enough to pick him straight up at 31, but am very comfortable with the idea of going and getting him at an appropriate point in day two.

But this is where you lose me a bit.

If this is a guy who's so dynamic and so disruptive that teams will have no choice but to take their chances with Chris Jones rather than have him blow apart their interior - that's a 1st round pick.

I don't see that ceiling so I seen a high floor player at a position of need and approach it not unlike the Bolton or Morse selections - safe picks with a little upside in the 2nd is fine.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But this is where you lose me a bit.

If this is a guy who's so dynamic and so disruptive that teams will have no choice but to take their chances with Chris Jones rather than have him blow apart their interior - that's a 1st round pick.

I don't see that ceiling so I seen a high floor player at a position of need and approach it not unlike the Bolton or Morse selections - safe picks with a little upside in the 2nd is fine.

At the end of the day, he's still a 1 tech, with pass rush upside that I like. Nnadi can play the spot serviceably on run downs, and we just have to live with a body there on pass downs as the roster stands or if we draft a Byron young type late in the draft.

Mazi is different in my view. He's incredibly strong, heavy, long, and can give you over 50 snaps a game there. So trading up in the second is as much premium as I would give for prospects of that nature not named Suh. And yeah, he changes the ability to rush four rather than always blitzing for pressure. Is that worth 31 though? Or should the Chiefs be looking to identify their long term EDGE there? I think getting both accomplished with these athletes makes a ton of sense for locking in a core defensive line group for the next 4 years.

If you can find a solid right tackle and a developmental guard late in the draft, the trenches could be locked in for phase 2 of mahomes career.

Oh and one secondary consideration: the fifth year option feels like a lot better value on a premium edge vs 1 tech.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Oh and one secondary consideration: the fifth year option feels like a lot better value on a premium edge vs 1 tech.

On the flipside, you're a lot more likely to find an excellent 1-tech at 31 than you are a premium edge who's going to get a 2nd contract.

It happens, to be sure. But a DE version of Aaron Donald, who was just so very clearly an absolute monster in college, goes 1.1. It's not smart, no, but it's the reality of it. Clowney went 1.1 in that draft because he had similar physical traits to Donald (less productivity) but the length to play DE.

It's similar to the market efficiency that comes from having a truly elite pass-catching TE. They just don't get paid as much as WRs, right wrong or otherwise.