Arguments for a Left Tackle in the 2010 Draft.

[Saccopoo]

While the vast majority of drafturbators around here think that Branden Albert is doing a remarkable job and had a great last half of the season, some people believe that adding a competent offensive left tackle would be a prudent and viable selection for the Chiefs with their first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Some supporting arguments for a left tackle:

Wes Bunting: Well, after Suh, McCoy and Berry, Russell Okung's a pretty safe pick. Sure, he might not be the sexiest of guys, but honestly Branden Albert was one of the highest rated guards I'd seen and yet he hasn't yet had the type of career because he's be a run-of-the-mill tackle. You'd be surprised how quickly that offensive line would improve if you got a legit offensive tackle in there and kick Branden Albert inside. Some good things could happen.

From Walters 2010 Mock:

Fortunately, Pioli, who is a big believer in positional value, can take Okung without sacrificing too much of his team's payroll into the left tackle position. Albert makes less than $1 million in each of the next two seasons, and was a guard at Virginia anyway.

Okung is the real deal. He could take the Chiefs' offense to the next level, though the team will ultimately struggle in the playoffs because of Cassel's limitations.

From Walters/Matt McGuire's Mock:

Russell Okung - This pick is a no-brainer and barring a huge screw-up, I think we can all be 99-percent assured the Kansas City Chiefs are handcuffed to taking a left tackle at this pick. It will be interesting to see whether it ends up being Okung, Anthony Davis or Bruce Campbell, as the battle for the No. 1 tackle spot is one of the best storylines of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Okung was the most consistent lineman in the nation this year and he will test out on a very high level athletically.

From Draftcountdown:

The Chiefs have plenty of needs and could go in a number of different directions here but their offensive line play has been particularly troubling. In fact, Kansas City ranked among the worst in the league when it comes to sacks allowed. Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung isn’t an elite prospect in the mold of Tony Boselli, Jon Ogden or Orlando Pace but he has clearly emerged as the top offensive tackle in this class and will likely be a Top 10 pick. With good size, long arms, great strength, above-average athleticism and feet as well as top-notch intangibles, Okung is just a very good all-around blocker. Okung could slide into the starting lineup at either left or right tackle for the Chiefs and any investment in keeping franchise quarterback Matt Cassel upright is money well spent.

From Mel Kiper:

I think the Chiefs could use help at safety as well, but Berry likely won't fall this far, and they'd be reaching on either of the two other safeties with first-round grades. Okung could solve two problems, making him a good value -- he could step in at LT and allow the Chiefs to move Brandon Albert to the right side. A pick that can pay immediate dividends for the Chiefs.

From Don Banks/Sports Illustrated:

If Berry should get this far, the Chiefs would be the benefactors, but Okung seems like the right fit in the right spot for Kansas City. The Chiefs have tons of needs, but in Okung they would be getting a franchise left tackle, allowing them to shift Branden Albert back to his more natural right tackle position.

It's damn near a cultural universal!

Also in opposition to people who believe that Branden Albert had a very good last four games, in the Buffalo game, he was penalized three times (tied for most in a game in 2009) and gave up a whopping five quarterback pressures. In the Cincinatti game, he was penalized twice and allow a hit on the quarterback. In actuality, taking out the fluke Denver game, which was a drive block fest as Jamaal Charles racked up a Chiefs single game rushing record, Albert did not perform well in the last quarter of the season. Yes, he didn't give up any sacks, but there were a lot of qb pressures and penalties.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by cdcox

I [stares at receiver] disagree [breaks pocket before the pressure gets there] with [pumps and pulls the ball back] this [pumps again] statement. /Cassel

Found a new sig.

Thanks.

[WildTurkey]

Originally Posted by cdcox

I [stares at receiver] disagree [breaks pocket before the pressure gets there] with [pumps and pulls the ball back] this [pumps again] statement. /Cassel

get rid of the ****ing ball Matt

[RustShack]

Hopefully this dumbass leaves like FindTheLaws did when he realized how completely wrong he was.

Holy SHIT is this his new account? The being a complete dumbass when it comes to the draft matches up!

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Hopefully this dumbass leaves like FindTheLaws did when he realized how completely wrong he was.

Holy SHIT is this his new account? The being a complete dumbass when it comes to the draft matches up!

Forgot about that douchebag.

Trevor Laws has 22 career tackles in 27 career games. No starts, no other stats registered.

Yeah, he's just as good as Dorsey and Ellis.

[WildTurkey]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Forgot about that douchebag.

Trevor Laws has 22 career tackles in 27 career games. No starts, no other stats registered.

Yeah, he's just as good as Dorsey and Ellis.

If I remember correctly he had quite the Hard on for both him and Jake Long

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

One thing you have not considered, mr. Saccogoo, is how much does cassel contribute to the sack issue, either through a poor cadence or holding on to the ball too long. Check how many times he was sacked in new england last year behind their line. As I recall, it was a staggering figure.

Further, you assume albert can successfully transition to the right side - which is a substantial risk. Further still, you want to draft in the top 5 against the strengths of this draft class. Okung is a value-reach at best at 5.

Those are my arguments.
Posted via Mobile Device

I don't see how Okung is a value reach as nearly everyone to a man considers him the best LT in the draft and compares his potential to guys like Joe Thomas and D'brickashaw Ferguson. He's equal or better at his position than anyone outside of Berry and Suh. Last year there was talk of Okung potentially being one of the first tackles taken in the draft last year if he decided to declare. That's not a value reach pick by any stretch.

And I also don't see how that is the least bit relevant to "the strengths of this draft class." It's a deep class at a lot of positions. Tight end might be the deepest of all the positions. Wouldn't you take the best LT in the draft if you had the chance to do so if you needed one knowing that it wasn't a deep LT class? If it's a deep class at a particular position, you can forgo taking a guy at that position early on and still pick up a guy later in the draft that is close to that #1 guys abilities. (I'm pretty sure that's what they mean by picking to the strength of a particular positions strength.) e.g., If the Chiefs don't pick Eric Berry with their first round pick, there will still be a lot of quality players to choose from at the safety position later on in the draft.

And I'm advocating Albert move to LG rather than RT. Let him bulk back up and play in the box where his deficiencies aren't as likely to be exposed as they are on the edge. It's the position he played in college and the position where he received so many raves and accolades because of his play there. Even Albert said he wouldn't have a problem/be happy about moving over when there was talk of the Chiefs selecting Monroe last year.

And yes, I agree with you that Cassel holds the ball a bit longer than some other quarterbacks. Thus the need for a good offensive line to give him that extra second to make the play. His manner of play needs a good O-line as a poor blocking line (see the Chiefs giving up an ungodly amount of sacks this past season) is going to exacerbate any potential problems in his game. (Rothlisberger and Rogers are the same way.)

[WildTurkey]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

I don't see how Okung is a value reach as nearly everyone to a man considers him the best LT in the draft and compares his potential to guys like Joe Thomas and D'brickashaw Ferguson. He's equal or better at his position than anyone outside of Berry and Suh. Last year there was talk of Okung potentially being one of the first tackles taken in the draft last year if he decided to declare. That's not a value reach pick by any stretch.

And I also don't see how that is the least bit relevant to "the strengths of this draft class." It's a deep class at a lot of positions. Tight end might be the deepest of all the positions. Wouldn't you take the best LT in the draft if you had the chance to do so if you needed one knowing that it wasn't a deep LT class? If it's a deep class at a particular position, you can forgo taking a guy at that position early on and still pick up a guy later in the draft that is close to that #1 guys abilities. (I'm pretty sure that's what they mean by picking to the strength of a particular positions strength.) e.g., If the Chiefs don't pick Eric Berry with their first round pick, there will still be a lot of quality players to choose from at the safety position later on in the draft.

And I'm advocating Albert move to LG rather than RT. Let him bulk back up and play in the box where his deficiencies aren't as likely to be exposed as they are on the edge. It's the position he played in college and the position where he received so many raves and accolades because of his play there. Even Albert said he wouldn't have a problem/be happy about moving over when there was talk of the Chiefs selecting Monroe last year.

And yes, I agree with you that Cassel holds the ball a bit longer than some other quarterbacks. Thus the need for a good offensive line to give him that extra second to make the play. His manner of play needs a good O-line as a poor blocking line (see the Chiefs giving up an ungodly amount of sacks this past season) is going to exacerbate any potential problems in his game. (Rothlisberger and Rogers are the same way.)

I have not read those comparisons in what I have read on him and watching him play I'm no draft or scouting expert but I don't see a dominating LT which is what I want at #5

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Funny how you clipped the Walter excerpt, when they said that Albert played almost flawlessly the second half of the year.

Branden Albert improved over the season and was pretty flawless in the final month. But I'm not convinced that he's a franchise left tackle. There's a chance that he could be, but I don't think anyone can seriously say that he's a lock to be one.

Neg rep for intellectual dishonesty.

Additionally, Walter most likely didn't watch the majority of Chiefs games and didn't know that Albert was

A) Struggling with weight
B) Learning new technique.

Funny how once he got both those down, his play improved. But let's give up on him after two years.

Because Albert didn't play flawlessly the second half of the year. The Buffalo game was his second worst performance of the year, and the Cincinnati game was a close third.

And how can your footwork get worse if you weigh less? How can your reaction time be worse if you have less mass?

And I wonder what happened at about that half way point which seemed to be a miracle from the Baby Jesus to almost all of our offensive linemen? Oh, that's right. Larry got the boot and we found a decent running game. It's amazing what happens when you have a running back that can actually run. However, Albert's technique and skill set didn't have this amazing epiphany all of a sudden. Go watch the Buffalo game and tell me if you really think that he was better then than earlier in the season from a technique and skill standpoint.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Nice find.

What? That I left out the part where Walter said he's not a franchise left tackle and thinks he'll never be one? And that somehow goes against my argument?

Yeah, nice find Hamas. Thanks for helping me support my argument against Albert as our LT.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Here is the argument for taking a LT - A) Albert dies or B) Albert suffers a Sly Morris or Percy Snow type injury this off season. That is it. Besides all of the LT's in this draft do not have the ceiling that Albert has.

And what ceiling is that, and what are you basing your "projection" on? Seriously. I want you to tell me why you think Albert is headed to the Pro Bowl as a LT in the not to distant future. What stuff does he have that gives him this incredibly high ceiling that you speak of.

I eagerly anticipate your response.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by WildTurkey

You know since this team has so few holes to fill lets pick a player in the top 5 at a position where we actually have a talented player... makes sense to me

Albert is a talented player? As a LT? And what are you basing this on?

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

What? That I left out the part where Walter said he's not a franchise left tackle and thinks he'll never be one? And that somehow goes against my argument?

Yeah, nice find Hamas. Thanks for helping me support my argument against Albert as our LT.

No, dipshit, the part where he admits that Albert improved over the last half of the season - something you're not willing to do.

And sorry, but I'm not terribly concerned that some clown named Walter, working out of his basement thinks that in his expert opinion, Albert won't be a franchise LT.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Albert is a talented player? As a LT? And what are you basing this on?

You should just give up watching football.. but then again based off how your talking it appears you don't watch it in the first place. Stats and draft "experts" don't know the whole story.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

And what ceiling is that, and what are you basing your "projection" on? Seriously. I want you to tell me why you think Albert is headed to the Pro Bowl as a LT in the not to distant future. What stuff does he have that gives him this incredibly high ceiling that you speak of.

I eagerly anticipate your response.

Why does he have to be a Pro Bowler?

Christ, the PB is nothing more than a popularity contest.

Michael Roos is one of the better young LT's in the game, and he's been to ONE Pro Bowl.

You lost what little credibility you had left when you compared Okung to Joe ****ing Thomas.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

And yes, I agree with you that Cassel holds the ball a bit longer than some other quarterbacks. Thus the need for a good offensive line to give him that extra second to make the play.

No, you don't get it. If you give Cassel 3 seconds, he'll take 4. If you give him 4, he'll take 5. No receiver is quite open enough for him to throw the ball to him. He's not decisive. Probably because he doesn't have confidence in his arm/accruacy.

The solution to better QB play is not to get a better OL, the solution is to get a better QB. Just like Jamal Charles made the run blocking look a whole lot better than LJ did. The OL is adequate. You can make it better over time by drafting good players in rounds 3 and later. You need to use your early picks for playmakers, cause you aren't going to stumble over those in the later rounds very often.