12/13/11 Nightfyre Mock Draft

[Nightfyre]

Assumptions:
1) We are able to move up to pick third without compromising any of this year's selections (for simplicity's sake.)
2) We re-sign Bowe and Carr
3) We sign Paul Soliai and Ben Grubbs to a five year deal.
4) We sign Dan Koppen to a two-year deal.

1) Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
6'2" 220 lbs.
The number two QB on my notional big board. The Chiefs likely need to move up to secure him. Excellent poise, arm strength, mobility and accuracy. He is terrific about setting his feet. Concerns include pre-snap reads, footwork from under center and durability.

2) Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
6'4" 260 lbs.
A cerebral and talented linebacker to put next to DJ. He also is well-versed in Crennel's system having played at Alabama under Nick Saban. Call's the defense for Alabama. He is as ready-to-play as they come and has the potential to be an impact player for the Chiefs.

3) William Vlachos, C, Alabama
6'1" 295 lbs.
Vlachos anchored the Alabama O-line for Trent Richardson. He is an athletic, pulling center with the strength to hold up at the point of attack. A perfect fit for our current blocking scheme. Hardworker, student of the game type by all reports.

4) Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State
5'11" 215 lbs.
I can't claim to know a lot about Ballard. But from what I have read, he is a three-down back who could be the workhorse complement to Charles.

5) Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State
6'6" 321 lbs.
Shoulder concerns have dropped this once second round prospect to a late round selection. Evidently he had shoulder surgery that "didn't take" the first go-around. He is a boom or bust fashion pick. When he did play, he had trouble handling speed rushers.

6) Tony Dye, SS, UCLA
5'11" 204
Another player whose stock has been adversely impacted by an injury riddled season. Dye suffered a neck injury followed by a leg injury this season. He is good in run support and adequate in coverage and should back-up Berry. He is another boom or bust type selection given the injury history

7) Elvis Akpla, WR, Montana State
6'1" 190 lbs.
Call it a homer selection, but I promise this guy will play on Sundays. If you watched Montana State get pummeled by Sam Houston on Saturday (the 10th) on ESPN, you would have gotten a taste for his circus-like catching capabilities. This guy has been a play maker for Montana State all year both with terrific catches and good field vision and RAC capabilities. I don't know that we have won a game without a big play from Akpla. Bonus #1, he plays special teams well. Bonus #2, he is a speedy guy. He transfered from Oregon after they ruled that his track scholarship would still count as a football scholarship if he played there. Bonus #3, he made Trumaine Johnson, a second round DB prospect from the University of Montana, look like he was wearing clown shoes.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

I don't see Baltimore letting Grubbs go in FA. I like the idea of going after Soliai from Miami. I'd also go after C Myers from Houston. He, Williams and Foster are all eligible for FA and i don't see them signing all three.

I'm not going to get my hopes up for a 1st round QB but we'll see. I like RB Polk in the second and WR Wright in the third. Somehow they have to get a new RT.

Would like to see the Chief's play Hudson, Powe, Stanzi and maybe even a little Mims these last three games to see what they've got.

I like the idea of Myers from Houston. Carl Nicks is a free agent this offseason and if we were gonna throw money at a free agent, It should be him.

I think Polk is a third round prospect myself. I would rather grad Montee ball in the 2nd if he's there. Then get a RT in the 3rd.

Soliai , Powe, and Gordon would be a pretty good mix at NT.

[O.city]

I also just read that the Skins are thinking about letting Laron Landry walk next year. I'd scoop him up if he would come here and move Berry to FS.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by O.city

I also just read that the Skins are thinking about letting Laron Landry walk next year. I'd scoop him up if he would come here and move Berry to FS.

Berry is so good in run support, why bump him to FS? IMO, you are taking away one of the biggest values he provides.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Berry is so good in run support, why bump him to FS? IMO, you are taking away one of the biggest values he provides.

If Landry is healthy he is every bit as good as Berry in run support. Berry could play more of the Ed Reed role and be a ball hawk. You could then use Landry in McGraws role when we go Nickel to play that other linebacker spot.

[O.city]

Night I'm kinda thinking we won't be in a spot to draft either of the two qbs. I think we needa push the chips in, trade all the way up, and grab Luck.

[Urc Burry]

Originally Posted by O.city

Night I'm kinda thinking we won't be in a spot to draft either of the two qbs. I think we needa push the chips in, trade all the way up, and grab Luck.

Luck will cost at least our next two drafts... And that is if Indy would even trade it at all.

Jacksonville spent a 1st and 2nd moving up from 16 to 10... So if we are wanting to move up from say 9 to 3 or 4, i'm guessing it would cost a 1st and 2 2nd's or something along those lines.

[jd1020]

From all the reports, its ****ing pointless to think about QB in the first. With Haley gone and Crennel starting the people who should have been starting in the first place (Orton/Stanzi) I fully expect 1 more win this year, at least. We are looking at a 10-15 pick right now and I can no longer see us breaking the top 10. The Rams are looking at possibly flushing the system and firing every coach on the team. Pioli wants to bring in McDaniels but he says he won't bring him in as HC so he'll be here as OC, assuming the Rams fire everyone. Which means Cassel will be back and given an opportunity to, once again, show he can be the guy. Pioli will likely draft another guy, no earlier than the 2nd round, to compete with Stanzi for the #2.

With that said, I'm focusing on 3 QB's...

Tannehill - 2nd round. I'll be surprised if he lasts til our 2nd pick, but if he does I'll be pissed we don't draft him.

Cousins - 4th round. He was once a 2nd round projection but is dropping on boards because the Spartans like to run and he doesn't have any top quality receivers to throw to. He's not quite the size Pioli goes for, but there really aren't many mid-late round projected QB's that are. He's got the arm to make shit happen. IMO, he has a bigger arm than any of the top QB's. I had always believed he had a mediocre arm from all the reports and then I watched the "Kirk Cousins vs Ohio State 2011" video. At 1:43, that all changed.

Moore - 5th round+. He's small, doesn't have the greatest of arms but, imo, his "weak" arm is overly exaggerated. I've watched him throw some fairly straight 15+ yard balls and 50+ yard balls that were dead on. With his accuracy I think he could be a very good starting NFL QB. He's not going to spread the field deep like Rodgers but he's going to consistently put the ball where his receivers can make a play after the catch.

I'll add one more, but he's one of the last options, imo, even though he's projected to be drafted before Cousins/Moore...

Foles - 2nd-3rd round. He's the prototypical Pioli guy. Big, stone foot, strong armed pocket passer. He's put up "good" numbers but he had to throw the ball nearly 600 times to do it. He started the season off on fire and then someone threw 20 gallons of cold water on him the second half. Maybe he got tired from over use, I dunno.

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by jd1020

From all the reports, its ****ing pointless to think about QB in the first. With Haley gone and Crennel starting the people who should have been starting in the first place (Orton/Stanzi) I fully expect 1 more win this year, at least. We are looking at a 10-15 pick right now and I can no longer see us breaking the top 10. The Rams are looking at possibly flushing the system and firing every coach on the team. Pioli wants to bring in McDaniels but he says he won't bring him in as HC so he'll be here as OC, assuming the Rams fire everyone. Which means Cassel will be back and given an opportunity to, once again, show he can be the guy. Pioli will likely draft another guy, no earlier than the 2nd round, to compete with Stanzi for the #2.

With that said, I'm focusing on 3 QB's...

Tannehill - 2nd round. I'll be surprised if he lasts til our 2nd pick, but if he does I'll be pissed we don't draft him.

Cousins - 4th round. He was once a 2nd round projection but is dropping on boards because the Spartans like to run and he doesn't have any top quality receivers to throw to. He's not quite the size Pioli goes for, but there really aren't many mid-late round projected QB's that are. He's got the arm to make shit happen. IMO, he has a bigger arm than any of the top QB's. I had always believed he had a mediocre arm from all the reports and then I watched the "Kirk Cousins vs Ohio State 2011" video. At 1:43, that all changed.

Moore - 5th round+. He's small, doesn't have the greatest of arms but, imo, his "weak" arm is overly exaggerated. I've watched him throw some fairly straight 15+ yard balls and 50+ yard balls that were dead on. With his accuracy I think he could be a very good starting NFL QB. He's not going to spread the field deep like Rodgers but he's going to consistently put the ball where his receivers can make a play after the catch.

I'll add one more, but he's one of the last options, imo, even though he's projected to be drafted before Cousins/Moore...

Foles - 2nd-3rd round. He's the prototypical Pioli guy. Big, stone foot, strong armed pocket passer. He's put up "good" numbers but he had to throw the ball nearly 600 times to do it. He started the season off on fire and then someone threw 20 gallons of cold water on him the second half. Maybe he got tired from over use, I dunno.

The pass at 1:43? The not even 15 yard, "I literally can throw that pass" pass? He threw it hard. That was it. Nothing all too impressive there. If it had been a few yards deeper and clear to the sideline, I might be impressed.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by aturnis

The pass at 1:43? The not even 15 yard, "I literally can throw that pass" pass? He threw it hard. That was it. Nothing all too impressive there. If it had been a few yards deeper and clear to the sideline, I might be impressed.

Why do you even post?

He threw the ball 12 yards so hard that the defender standing 2 yards to the side of the receiver couldn't even dive in time to deflect it.

"Nothing impressive."

Just stop.

That was a NFL sized BULLET.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by jd1020

From all the reports, its ****ing pointless to think about QB in the first. With Haley gone and Crennel starting the people who should have been starting in the first place (Orton/Stanzi) I fully expect 1 more win this year, at least. We are looking at a 10-15 pick right now and I can no longer see us breaking the top 10. The Rams are looking at possibly flushing the system and firing every coach on the team. Pioli wants to bring in McDaniels but he says he won't bring him in as HC so he'll be here as OC, assuming the Rams fire everyone. Which means Cassel will be back and given an opportunity to, once again, show he can be the guy. Pioli will likely draft another guy, no earlier than the 2nd round, to compete with Stanzi for the #2.

With that said, I'm focusing on 3 QB's...

Tannehill - 2nd round. I'll be surprised if he lasts til our 2nd pick, but if he does I'll be pissed we don't draft him.

Cousins - 4th round. He was once a 2nd round projection but is dropping on boards because the Spartans like to run and he doesn't have any top quality receivers to throw to. He's not quite the size Pioli goes for, but there really aren't many mid-late round projected QB's that are. He's got the arm to make shit happen. IMO, he has a bigger arm than any of the top QB's. I had always believed he had a mediocre arm from all the reports and then I watched the "Kirk Cousins vs Ohio State 2011" video. At 1:43, that all changed.

Moore - 5th round+. He's small, doesn't have the greatest of arms but, imo, his "weak" arm is overly exaggerated. I've watched him throw some fairly straight 15+ yard balls and 50+ yard balls that were dead on. With his accuracy I think he could be a very good starting NFL QB. He's not going to spread the field deep like Rodgers but he's going to consistently put the ball where his receivers can make a play after the catch.

I'll add one more, but he's one of the last options, imo, even though he's projected to be drafted before Cousins/Moore...

Foles - 2nd-3rd round. He's the prototypical Pioli guy. Big, stone foot, strong armed pocket passer. He's put up "good" numbers but he had to throw the ball nearly 600 times to do it. He started the season off on fire and then someone threw 20 gallons of cold water on him the second half. Maybe he got tired from over use, I dunno.

I've seen Tannehill projected in the first. I don't think he makes it to our second rounder.

We likely won't be in a spot to take a qb in the first, you are correct. If it were me if I'm not trading up for Luck, I'm probably not trading up at all. I'd see what I had in Stanzi this year and go from there.

I like Moore but he just doesn't have the size that Pioli would look for. I think he could be a solid NFL guy.

I don't think Cassel will be brought back tho. I don't see how he can be. Pioli likely knows he has one more shot at this. If he brings Cassel back it's lose win for us. We will lose games but win by Pioli likely being let go.

Don't want any part of Foles tho. Wouldn't mind Cousins.

It just sucks that the guys we likely wil be taking are all projects. For once i'd like this franchise to get a guy that could come in a play.

I really like Barkley and what RGIII could bring to the table. THat said it's likely they won't be in KC.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

Luck will cost at least our next two drafts... And that is if Indy would even trade it at all.

Jacksonville spent a 1st and 2nd moving up from 16 to 10... So if we are wanting to move up from say 9 to 3 or 4, i'm guessing it would cost a 1st and 2 2nd's or something along those lines.

And I'd give up two drafts for the next 15 years of service.

[O.city]

I just read that it's likely the Skins won't bring back Landry becasue of injury issue.


Call me crazy but I think him and Berry would make a dynamic safety paid. Both young too.

[Urc Burry]

Originally Posted by O.city

I just read that it's likely the Skins won't bring back Landry becasue of injury issue.


Call me crazy but I think him and Berry would make a dynamic safety paid. Both young too.

Would like to have him, but if we were to get one big free agent give me Carl Nicks. Draft a RT in the draft and we may be back to an elite o-line

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

Would like to have him, but if we were to get one big free agent give me Carl Nicks. Draft a RT in the draft and we may be back to an elite o-line

I'd ****ing love to have that dude at LG. Him or Ben Grubbs.


Thing is we are gonna have some money on the books. Sign a few of these big free agents, trade up and get Luck, use the rest of your picks to get depth.

[aturnis]

Byeeeeaaaaahhhh... The Dude threw it hard. Wow. That does not tell us anything about his touch passes, deep ball, or ability to lead receivers. It tells us that when he winds up, he can throw it hard.