My 2006 Mock Fixes the Defense

[Mr. Kotter]

The 2006 NFL Draft is here--finally. Next weekend, the Chiefs will launch the Herman Edwards era with, perhaps, the most important draft they have faced in several years. Every draft is important, but with an aging squad the Chief’s choices next weekend could be the difference between a long rebuilding process and a quick reloading and turn-around.


The Chiefs needs appear to be pretty clear: defensive line, defensive backfield, and wide receiver are the priorities, while depth on the offensive line and Quarterback-of-the-future (QBOTF) should also bear careful consideration. As they send several veterans to their retirements in the next year or two, there are replacements to be groomed in addition to the obvious upgrades they need at several positions.

The future direction of this franchise may very well be determined by the draft choices the Chiefs make next weekend. Edwards has a reputation for being a good judge of talent and had a couple of impressive drafts while head coach of the Jets. Ideally, the Chiefs would like to draft three solid defensive players on the first day. However, the lack of depth in this draft may mean they only get two players who can make contributions early in their careers. The Edwards Era in Chief history would get a major lift with a good draft. Here is hoping it’s a good one!

My two cents if I were in the war room, as if Herm or any of you really care…




My 2006 Mock Draft in brief:
1. Tamba Hali, DE Penn State
1.a. ALTERNATE PLAN: (Based on Availability: Antonio Cromartie or Ty Hill, if you insist on a CB)
2. Darnell Bing, S USC
3. Dusty Dvorcek, DT Oklahoma
3b. TRADE-DOWN compensation: Jason Avant, WR Michigan
5. Rashad Butler, OT Miami-FL
6. Rashaan Powers-Neal FB Notre Dame
7. Brad Smith, QB Missouri




Day One:

First Round:
TRADE DOWN (unless Bunkley or Ngata fall)

Tamba Hali, DE (Penn State) Hali is a fierce, high motor threat to rush the QB. He’s a bit undersized, but tough against the run. A poor man’s Dwight Freeney? (Back-up plan: Kamerion Wimbley)

OR, Antonio Cromartie or Ty Hill (Based on Availability: if you insist on a CB...but then you lose Avant, whom I really, really like despite the concerns of some about his speed.)

By trading down in the first round with the Giants, Bears, or Panthers, the Chiefs should be able to acquire a third or fourth round draft pick. That would recoup the draft pick they lost in signing Edwards.

If either Cromartie or Huff are still available when the Chiefs pick at 20, they would be hard for the Chiefs to pass on—and if they are available the Chiefs should grab them. If they can trade down for Ty Hill, I'd be okay with that too. I'm not confident in either of those scenarios, though. However, there should be good value at S and CB in the second round. The thinking here is to wait until the second round to fill a slot in the defensive backfield (maybe even wait until the third, hoping for Cedric Griffin, DeMario Minter, or Alan Zemaitis)

Other possible first round picks: Kamerion Wimbley (DE, FSU) Ty Hill (CB, Clemson), Jonathon Joseph (CB, Virginia Tech), Jason Allen (S, Tennessee), or Richard Marshall (CB, Fresno State.)

2nd Round:
54. Darnell Bing, S (USC) Bing is an instinctive, tough, and hard-hitting head-hunter. Though he is not as fast as some other safeties, he’s an experienced playmaker. A young Sammy Knight? (Backup plan: Pat Watkins)

Huff, Allen, and Whitner will be gone. Is Bing fast enough to play FS for a while? Maybe. But he could end up at SS, or even OLB. Bullocks might be available, and is faster. My gut says Bing will have a better NFL career.

Other possible second round picks: Mathias Kiwanuka (DE, Boston College) or Ko Simpson (S, South Carolina) could fall; otherwise Rodrique Wright (DT, Texas) or John McCargo (DT, Virginia Tech) should be able to step in at DT. I’ve also grown fond of Pat Watkins (CB/FS, FSU), Roman Harper (S, Alabama), or Daryl Tapp (DE, Virginia Tech).

Third Round:
85. Dusty Dvoracek, (DT, Oklahoma) Instinctive and intense football player, with a motor that never stops. In a word, tenacious. He’s had off-field issues, but he’s an on-field presence our D could use. (Back-up plan: Jonathon Lewis)

Unless Wright, Lewis, Wroten, or McCargo fall, Dvoracek is an easy choice here if the Chiefs are serious about fixing their defensive line. Dvorcek, alongside Hali and Jared Allen, could transform a weakness into a strength, and one of the best young defensive lines in the league.

3rd Round pick, from first round “trade-down:”

Jason Avant, (WR Michigan) A big, athletic, and polished WR who would be a good compliment to Sami Parker, as a possession receiver. (Back-up plan: Devin Aramashodo)

Other possible third round picks: Jonathan Scott (OT, Texas), Greg Lee (WR, Pittsburg), Hank Baskett (WR, New Mexico), Guy Whimper (OT, E. Carolina), Mark Setterstrom (OG, Minnesota).



Day Two:

Fifth Round:
Rashad Butler, (OT, Miami-FL) A great athlete who is quick and has great footwork. Explosive for his size. A project. Needs to add some weight, but can become an LT in the NFL. A Skinny Willie Roaf? (Back-up plan, Whimper, or Setterstrom—if they drop; as OL prospects do)

If Svitek, Sampson, Black, or Parquet don’t work out, here’s our next offensive linemen experiment.

Sixth Round:
Rashaan Powers-Neal, (FB, Notre Dame) Versatile athlete who can run and catch, but he is also a good blocker. TRich’s heir apparent?

Versatility is the key for FBs in the NFL today. And this kid is already a decent blocker on top of it.

Seventh Round:
Brad Smith, (QB, Missouri) A project and potential back-up QB? If nothing else, maybe he becomes an Antwan Randle-El type player for the Chiefs...



FLAME AWAY......heh

[Ebolapox]

eh, it could be better, but I like it...

unfortunately, we draft at TWENTY...2...0...20...unless that's sandy eggo's draft...

otherwise.....DO IT, CARL!!!!!!!!

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by H5N1

eh, it could be better, but I like it...

unfortunately, we draft at TWENTY...2...0...20...unless that's sandy eggo's draft...

otherwise.....DO IT, CARL!!!!!!!!

I tried to be realistic too....

I fixed the 20th in the first round thing; thanks.

I'm surprised that seems to be the only major typo, as I've had more than a few....

[Ebolapox]

heh...I'm not too sure how realisitic you are about who's gonna fall (I don't see bing being available in R2 when we pick), but I didn't see DJ falling to us last year--guess we'll know next saturday

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by H5N1

heh...I'm not too sure how realisitic you are about who's gonna fall (I don't see bing being available in R2 when we pick), but I didn't see DJ falling to us last year--guess we'll know next saturday

Yeah, some "experts" even have Ko Simpson falling to that spot....which I can't see. Bing's 40 yd dash probably cost him millions though, and he could fall. Otherwise, I really like the Watkins kid from FSU; I think he actually might be better in the NFL anyway.

[Dunit35]

I really like your draft Kotter. Dvoracek reminds me of Chris Hovan...but maybe that is because they are both white with huge motors.

[Warrior5]

I'm completely on-board with this mock.

Actual draft day is such an intangible...as far as Day 1s go, Carl has had the full spectrum of genious and bone-head. I'm hoping the unusually "quiet" off-season is merely a deception, and Carl comes out with guns blazing with some shrewd trades early on.

Of course, the annual Minnesota screw-up wouldn't hurt either...

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by Dunit35

I really like your draft Kotter. Dvoracek reminds me of Chris Hovan...but maybe that is because they are both white with huge motors.

Exactly my thoughts, with hopes that'll he avoid the 5th year "let-down" that Hovan had. His first three years in the league, Hovan was a monster.

Originally Posted by Warrior5

I'm completely on-board with this mock.

Actual draft day is such an intangible...as far as Day 1s go, Carl has had the full spectrum of genious and bone-head. I'm hoping the unusually "quiet" off-season is merely a deception, and Carl comes out with guns blazing with some shrewd trades early on.

Of course, the annual Minnesota screw-up wouldn't hurt either...

Yeah, being a Chief's fan with CP in charge of FA and the Draft is an trying experience, that's for sure.

[Mecca]

So we don't get a corner on day 1......but we get a slow WR who will probably struggle to get seperation against any type of defense. We also get a DT who has all sorts of atittude and character questions.......

[Chiefnj]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So we don't get a corner on day 1......but we get a slow WR who will probably struggle to get seperation against any type of defense. We also get a DT who has all sorts of atittude and character questions.......

If the name Cromartie isn't in a Chiefs mock, you'll dismiss it for one reason or another.

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So we don't get a corner on day 1......but we get a slow WR who will probably struggle to get seperation against any type of defense. We also get a DT who has all sorts of atittude and character questions.......

That's the way some would look at it.....

My take is, if we can improve the DLine and nab Bing/Simpson/Watkins at FS, that increased pressure from the front four (along with improved play from our safties) will enable us to play Herm's Cover-2 with Surtain and the winner of Battle/Hodge/Perkins/Johnson/FA acquisition. I think saftey is a bigger need for us, especially since the "experts" let Warfield walk--I think they must be somewhat comfortable with the situation at CB.

I'm of the opinion, that much of our problem with pass defense stems from a lack of pressure from the front four, and too many gambles and poor tackling from our safties. You fix those two problems, and suddenly even Sapp would probably do a decent job at the #2 CB position.

With Avant, his measurables don't reflect his football ability. He won't be a stretch the field deep-threat, but we already have Parker and Kennison. He's more of a possession, catch it over the middle, move the chains kind of WR.....who will also be good in the red zone--especially against zone coverages dictated by the presence of LJ and Gonzo.

As for the "attitude and character" questions some are concerned about with Dvorcek, how many players on our current roster have the same problem? And not the potential or talent. I can think of 6 or 8 pretty quickly....

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj

If the name Cromartie isn't in a Chiefs mock, you'll dismiss it for one reason or another.

I said in my mock, if Cromartie (or Huff) is there at 20.....I SAY, "Take him." Maybe Mecca missed that. I just don't think they will be. I hope I'm wrong, because I really like the kid too....I just don't see him falling into our laps, like DJ did last year.

That said, with the other CBs.....I'd just as soon go my route.

[htismaqe]

The only way those 2 first picks happen is if we trade down in the first and trade up in the 2nd...

[Reaper16]

I'd take it.

Observation: how come every single white defender in the NFL is labled as having a "huge/bug/nonstop motor?

[Sully]

I like Dvoracek.
But when you say "off-field problems" Wasn't he basically just going through depression? If that's the case, i would think that if it's being treated properly it shouldn't be a problem, and he'd be a great pick.

Of course, the Raiders felt the same about Barret Robbins.