Some prospects I love, and where I love them.

[Direckshun]

Just a rundown of some players I like. I'll use the OP as a collection of the posts I've made on them. (Strikethrough means they are returning to school.)

QB:
Cameron Ward, Washington State (4th)

RB:
Bijan Robinson, Texas (1st)
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama (2nd)
Devon Achane, Texas A&M (3rd)
Tank Bigsby, Auburn (3rd)
Zach Charbonnet, UCLA (3rd)
Kenny McIntosh, Georgia (4th)
Eric Gray, Oklahoma (4th)
Sean Tucker, Syracuse (5th)
Kendre Miller, TCU (6th)
Chase Brown, Illinois (7th)
Roschon Johnson, Texas (7th)
Zach Evans, Ole Miss (UDFA)

WR:
Jordan Addison, USC (1st)
Rashee Rice, SMU (1st)
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee (2nd)
Nathaniel Dell, Jr. (2nd)
Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State (2nd)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (3rd)
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma (3rd)
Kayshon Boutte, LSU (3rd)
Josh Downs, North Carolina (5th)
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee (6th)

TE:
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State (1st)
Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State (2nd)
Dalton Kincaid, Utah (2nd)
Darnell Washington, Georgia (2nd)
Arik Gilbert, Georgia (4th)
Jaheim Bell, South Carolina (6th)
Cameron Latu, Alabama (7th)
Will Mallory, Miami (7th)

OT:
Broderick Jones, Georgia (1st)
Anton Harrison, Oklahoma (1st)
Darnell Wright, Tennessee (1st)
Peter Skoronski, Northwestern (2nd)
Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland (2nd)
Blake Freeland, BYU (2nd)
Dawand Jones, Ohio State (4th)

OG:
Cody Mauch, North Dakota State (4th)
Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame (6th)
Nick Broeker, Ole Miss (6th)
Steve Avila, TCU (7th)

C:
Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia (5th)
Luke Wypler, Ohio State (6th)

DT:
Gervin Dexter, Florida (1st)
Bryan Bresee, Clemson (1st)
Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin (2nd)
Siaki Ika, Baylor (2nd)
Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh (2nd)
Mazi Smith, Michigan (3rd)
Zacch Pickens, South Carolina (4th)
Byron Young, Alabama (6th)

DE:
Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame (1st)
Andre Carter II, Army (1st)
Jared Verse, Florida State (1st)
Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech (1st)
BJ Ojulari, LSU (1st)
Derick Hall, Auburn (1st)
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State (2nd)
Will McDonald IV, Iowa State (2nd)
Lukas Van Ness, Iowa (4th)
Isaiah McGuire, Missouri (4th)
Zach Harrison, Ohio State (5th)
Princely Umanmielen, Florida (7th)
Isaiah Land, Florida A&M (UDFA)

LB:
Henry To'o To'o, Alabama (3rd)
Mike Jones Jr., LSU (4th)
Ventrell Miller, Florida (6th)

CB:
Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford (3rd)
Tiawan Mullen, Indiana (7th)

S:
Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M (1st)
Christopher Smith II, Georgia (2nd)
Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame (2nd)
Jordan Battle, Alabama (3rd)
J.L. Skinner, Boise State (3rd)
Sydney Brown, Illinois (4th)
Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State (6th)
Trey Dean III, Florida (6th)
Tykee Smith, Georgia (7th)
Beejay Williamson, Louisiana Tech (UDFA)

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

It's interesting that you're hanging a 2nd round grade (even if you're calling it temporary) on the top tackle prospect in the draft.

What do you see that inhibits him that others aren't seeing?

I see Liam Eichenberg.

I loved Eichenberg and pounded the table for him. I love Skoronski for all the same reasons but see the same hesitations.

I reserve the right to adjust all this after the Combine.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by kccrow

It's interesting that you're hanging a 2nd round grade (even if you're calling it temporary) on the top tackle prospect in the draft.

What do you see that inhibits him that others aren't seeing?

His size and athleticism bother you any?

He looks like a polished prospect, but in the back of my mind I always have a bit of hesitation on a guy who has to use so much technique to win at the collegiate level.

It's not a bad thing my any means at all. But I've always felt like when you have to really use technique to win, you are tapped out physically and when you go up a notch in competition, you get in trouble.

[O.city]

It kinda goes back to DJLN's talk about traits and such with the WR.

OBJ doesn't have the footspeed you'd prefer to have at LT, but he's just so damn big he can adapt. It looks different for sure, but he can make it work.

I worry with Skoronski....he just doesn't have anything to rely on other than technique. Now maybe that's enough, it has been for guys before. But paired with his smaller statue in terms of arm length and such, I would worry a bit there.

[Titty Meat]

I'd take Mo Ibraham over every RB on your list Direck aside from Chase Brown

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by O.city

His size and athleticism bother you any?

He looks like a polished prospect, but in the back of my mind I always have a bit of hesitation on a guy who has to use so much technique to win at the collegiate level.

It's not a bad thing my any means at all. But I've always felt like when you have to really use technique to win, you are tapped out physically and when you go up a notch in competition, you get in trouble.

A lot is made on traits but sometimes you just have to gauge the football player. So, my answer to your question is no, not really. He looks just like Rashawn Slater. I'd argue heavily that he's a better pass protector coming out than Slater was.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

A lot is made on traits but sometimes you just have to gauge the football player. So, my answer to your question is no, not really. He looks just like Rashawn Slater. I'd argue heavily that he's a better pass protector coming out than Slater was.

We'll see at the Combine if he's Slater. I'm not fully sure about that.

And I do agree that he's better than Slater was at college. But that just means he comes with a high floor, which I like. Slater's ceiling, I feel, blows his out of the water.

But I'm mostly arguing against myself here. I really, really like Skoronski. I just worry he's Eichenberg.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

DE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

What exactly does this defense need, as we enter 2023? Look the roster over. Clearly they're going to need several DTs, run-pluggers in particular, with some depth in the back seven and maybe a new starting safety if Bryan Cook isn't up for the gig.

But the biggest thing this defense needs, really what's going to turn this defense from a pretty good one to a Top 8 unit year in and year out, is passrushing off the edge. And not just any passrusher, a passrusher who specifically can threaten a tackle's outside shoulder. The Chiefs ideally need a couple of those guys, rather than technique-and-effort guys like Danna and Karlaftis. But ultimately, they need a premier guy. A blue chip who can torture tackles by beating them to the corner, and undercutting them when they drop too deep.

Folks, Isaiah Foskey is that missing piece. He's got really good size and ridiculous upside to go with multi-season evidence that he can explode out of his stance, turn the corner easily, and hunt QBs for games at a time. Foskey is the biggest solution to the biggest problem this defense has in 2023. He is a great fit for everything we want to accomplish.

But he may be too rich for our blood. I consistently see him with a 1st round rating, he fits both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses, and if he crushes the Combine, he may leak into the Top Ten, which is where I'd put him.

If the Chiefs can get within screaming distance of trading up for him, that's it. You've made the biggest move that will reverberate across the entire defense. He'll deliver his rookie season, and will only get more lethal as the seasons go by.

I will just say -- I do not see the stiffness on tape that literally every draft expert is assigning to Foskey, but it seems to be unanimous that that's how teams feel.

Will watch to see how he performs at the Combine. For now, he remains on my "really, really want" list in the 1st round.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

We'll see at the Combine if he's Slater. I'm not fully sure about that.

And I do agree that he's better than Slater was at college. But that just means he comes with a high floor, which I like. Slater's ceiling, I feel, blows his out of the water.

But I'm mostly arguing against myself here. I really, really like Skoronski. I just worry he's Eichenberg.

I get it, for sure. I don't think you're wrong in having that worry. I think every short-armed tackle prospect presents that. Skoronski absolutely was at a disadvantage with arm length and you see it all over his tape where guys are able to shock him right up under the chin. He absorbs it though. He has great feet and great hands and he keeps fighting to win the blocks.

I don't worry about his ability to win the edge in the NFL, I worry about his longevity at the position because those high blows to the chest take a significant toll on your back over time. That said, we've seen plenty of similar guys be just fine. Jason Peters, for example. Peters was slightly longer in the arms at 33" but that's still not ideal for a tackle.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I get it, for sure. I don't think you're wrong in having that worry. I think every short-armed tackle prospect presents that. Skoronski absolutely was at a disadvantage with arm length and you see it all over his tape where guys are able to shock him right up under the chin. He absorbs it though. He has great feet and great hands and he keeps fighting to win the blocks.

I don't worry about his ability to win the edge in the NFL, I worry about his longevity at the position because those high blows to the chest take a significant toll on your back over time. That said, we've seen plenty of similar guys be just fine. Jason Peters, for example. Peters was slightly longer in the arms at 33" but that's still not ideal for a tackle.

That's fair and everything, but you're playing checkers in college.

The guys he's going to be going up against are going to have arm length advantages, they're going to be able to match him in technique, and for at least the first couple years of his rookie contract they're going to have a lot more savvy at countering him. What's worse, is that he may have an athletic disadvantage too.

But I actually don't know either of those things, I'm just guessing. I'd like the Combine to answer them.

[kccrow]

Couple guys I want to highlight today...

ER Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State (6'2" 265) - If you're running a 3-4 this is a diamond in the rough for sure. He plays with alot of power in his rush, has solid athletic ability and solid coverage skills. I really like this kid. I don't know if he'd be your prototype for a 4-3 but I say if you can get him sometime on day 3 then you might be getting a really nice situational guy anyhow. I think he's a better version of Danna. Check him out when you get the chance.

DT Jonah Tavai, San Diego State (6'0" 295). What a one-man wrecking crew this kid is from pretty much anywhere along the D-line. People keep talking up Calijah Klancey as an "Aaron Donald" type but I think Tavai is much more similar than Klancey is. He's got an outstanding get-off at the snap and really good athleticism and quickness. His approach is raw as **** looking to me but man he gets after it. I'd love this guy as a shot at a situational pass-rushing IDL.

ER Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan (6'4" 260). Another kid that gets off the ball quick and has good speed to the QB with bend around the edge. He's a bit raw with the technique too but man if he doesn't remind me of when I was watching a young Matt Judon at GVSU. I'd take this kid in the 3rd but who knows where he'll go. The rest of the Senior Bowl week might help determine more of the where. I'm all in on him.

[Direckshun]

Great work as always.

Did you catch the East-West Shrine Bowl?

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Great work as always.

Did you catch the East-West Shrine Bowl?

I did not, I had a job interview. Any way to re-watch? I haven't looked yet.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I did not, I had a job interview. Any way to re-watch? I haven't looked yet.

It's re-airing on NFLN later tonight. DVR it if you're able.

Best of luck on your job interview!

[kccrow]

P.S. Direckshun: Your boy Darnell Wright is really growing on me the more tape I digest. I think you're onto something with that kid. Definitely could be the top pure RT in the class. I like Bergeron more but I feel like Bergeron can play LT in the league.

[Direckshun]

WR Josh Downs, North Carolina

I have to be honest, I do not see a ton of the hype surrounding Downs as a future Chief. I like the player a lot, but the top three receivers under contract for the Chiefs next year -- WR Kadarious Toney, WR Marquez Valdez-Scantling, and WR Skyy Moore -- are all versions of what Downs offers. Only all three are bigger and faster, and all three offer bigger catch radiuses. And you can make that four if the team brings back Mecole Hardman.

That said, Downs is a ferocious competitor that I love watching. You look at a smaller receiver like him and think he is speed and finesse, but he has some of that Steve Smith in him. He is an angry receiver who fights for the ball and doesn't mess around with corners who put their hands on him. He's going to Moss people occasionally, and it's almost like watching Spud Webb win a dunk contest.

But he's going to take a year to redshirt and get himself into NFL strength and conditioning -- he is not remotely made for the NFL like Skyy was. He's also an X receiver trapped in a Z receiver's body, but he lacks the speed. I'll be interested to see what he does at the Combine. Right now I don't see the Chiefs moving on him at all. If they do, it's gotta be because he fell to the third day and the value is absurd.