Let's talk Defensive Line

[Couch-Potato]

Went through a bunch of threads to identify all of our interests across the defensive line, is this all of them? Who else should be added to the list? Removed from the list? Should anyone be moved up or down on the draft target list?

FA Targets
-DE Yannick Ngakoue, IND
-DT Da’ron Payne, WAS
-DT Poona Ford, SEA
-DE Jadaveon Clowney, CLV
-DT Kalen Saunders, KC
-DT Greg Gains, LAR
-DT Armon Watts, CHI
-DE Ardon Key, JAX
-DE Clean Ferril, LVR
-DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, HOU
-DT Chris Wormley, PIT
-DT Maurice Hurst, SF
-DT Andrew Billings, CIN

Vet Trade Targets
-DE Brian Burns, CAR
-DE Chase Young, WAS
-DE Carl Granderson, New Orleans
-DE Za'Darius Smith, Minnesota
-DE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota

1st Rd Targets
-DT Byran Breese,
-DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
-DE BJ Ojulari, LSU
-DE Keion White, Georgia Tech
-DE Derick Hall, Auburn
-DE Isahiah Foskey, ND
-DE Nolan Smith, Georgia
-DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
-DE Andre Carter, Army

2nd Rd Targets
-DT Siaki Ika, BU
-DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa St.
-DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
-DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
-DE Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
-DT Mazi Smith, Michigan

3rd Rd Targets
-DT Gervon Dexter, Florida
-NT Keanu Benton, Wisconsin
-DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
-DL Byron Young, Tennessee
-DT Zack Pickens, South Carolina
-DL Mike Morris, Michigan
-DE Dylan Horton, TCU

4th Rd Targets
-DT Byron Young, Alabama
-DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose St
-DE Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan
-DL Yaya Diabi, Louisville
-DE Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt

5th-7th Rd Targets
-DE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
-DE Caleb Murphy, Ferris St
-DE Derek Parish, Houston
-DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
-NT Elijah Simmons, Tennessee

[Urc Burry]

I don’t see McDonald being the pick.

Yes there are exceptions, but if you notice one thing about Veach’s early picks. There’s one thing in common. He very much prefers to use the premium picks on young guys. McDuffie, Karlaftis, and Skyy were all 21. Creed and Bolton were both 21. Clyde 21 and Willie Gay was 22.

McDonald will be 24 when the season starts. I don’t think his age automatically rules him out or anything. But it would definitely be breaking the norm

[kozzman555]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

I don’t see McDonald being the pick.

Yes there are exceptions, but if you notice one thing about Veach’s early picks. There’s one thing in common. He very much prefers to use the premium picks on young guys. McDuffie, Karlaftis, and Skyy were all 21. Creed and Bolton were both 21. Clyde 21 and Willie Gay was 22.

McDonald will be 24 when the season starts. I don’t think his age automatically rules him out or anything. But it would definitely be breaking the norm

I did a breakdown in another thread and I think I only spotted like 6 dudes that were 23/24 when drafted the entire time Veach has been drafting guys. He definitely prefers younger players, probably so they still have value when looking to extend or maybe trade them. If you draft a 24yo, they will be 28 or so when their rookie deal is up. Unless they are baller af, we aren't going to be super invested in extending them long term.

[Urc Burry]

Originally Posted by kozzman555

I did a breakdown in another thread and I think I only spotted like 6 dudes that were 23/24 when drafted the entire time Veach has been drafting guys. He definitely prefers younger players, probably so they still have value when looking to extend or maybe trade them. If you draft a 24yo, they will be 28 or so when their rookie deal is up. Unless they are baller af, we aren't going to be super invested in extending them long term.

Yeah that’s how I see it. And he probably just thinks there is so much more room for improvement with the young guys as well. If he thinks McDonald is a class above the available guys I’m sure it could happen. But I just don’t see any Danny Watkins (remember him?) scenarios happening under Veach

Side note - Karlaftis is a month away from even turning 22. He’s just scratching the surface

[Palangi]

I wouldn’t mind Felix Anudike-Uzahma in the first. He is an explosive and with really good bend. And is 255 lbs.
and is only 21 years old

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

I don’t see McDonald being the pick.

Yes there are exceptions, but if you notice one thing about Veach’s early picks. There’s one thing in common. He very much prefers to use the premium picks on young guys. McDuffie, Karlaftis, and Skyy were all 21. Creed and Bolton were both 21. Clyde 21 and Willie Gay was 22.

McDonald will be 24 when the season starts. I don’t think his age automatically rules him out or anything. But it would definitely be breaking the norm

Yeah I keep forgetting his age, it's a fair point, i feel like that might be a disqualifier more than the weight for Veach/Spags

[Couch-Potato]

Looking as Pass Rusher metrics in the draft below, size & speed vs production, to identify our best fits.

Spage Type & Team Need:
-6-4+, 260+
-Faster more agile DE than Karlaftis (4.71)

Athletes: 3-5 Sacks
-Adetomiwa Adebawore
-Zach Harrison

In-between: 5-8 Sacks
-Lukas Van Ness
-Keion White
-Derrick Hall
-Isaiah McGuire
-Byron Young
-DJ Johnson

Productive: 9+ Sacks
-Isaiah Foskey
-Tui Tuipulotu
-Andre Carter
-Yaya Diaby
-Karl Brooks
-Viliami Fehoko
-Thomas Incoom

I think Isaiah Foskey is our ideal target: 6-5, 265 lbs, 4.58 40 time, 12 Sacks

Both Diaby and Incoom are interesting later round targets IMO

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

Looking as Pass Rusher metrics in the draft below, size & speed vs production, to identify our best fits.

Spage Type & Team Need:
-6-4+, 260+
-Faster more agile DE than Karlaftis (4.71)

Athletes: 3-5 Sacks
-Adetomiwa Adebawore
-Zach Harrison

In-between: 5-8 Sacks
-Lukas Van Ness
-Keion White
-Derrick Hall
-Isaiah McGuire
-Byron Young
-DJ Johnson

Productive: 9+ Sacks
-Isaiah Foskey
-Tui Tuipulotu
-Andre Carter
-Yaya Diaby
-Karl Brooks
-Viliami Fehoko
-Thomas Incoom

I think Isaiah Foskey is our ideal target: 6-5, 265 lbs, 4.58 40 time, 12 Sacks

Both Diaby and Incoom are interesting later round targets IMO

I like Felix A-U a lot, I like Foskey a lot, Hall, too.

I think Mcdonald is just too light. Ojulari is about as light as I can imagine them going; but Ojulari like Mcdonald would pretty much be wide 9 only rushers. Think Dee Ford types. (Not saying they're stupid and can't line up onsides, or brokedicks, just similar playing styles.) The thing with that is, they might get some pressures and sacks, but they're just too light and will get run over.

I mean, if I was an offensive coordinator, that's what I'd do. I'd run right at 'em with a pulling guard and just obliterate them as much as possible.

I think Mcd is just strictly going to be a 3-4 rushbacker. Probably a real good one, but I don't see the scheme versatility.

[RunKC]

Mazi Smith pro day today. Let’s see what he does

[The Franchise]

This EDGE class is tailor made for Steve Spagnuolo.

Since arriving in KC (2019), this draft class has:

- Has the most HIGH fit DEs (15)
- Has the second MOST medium fit DEs (16)
- The MOST high + medium fit DEs (31)

— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) March 19, 2023

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

This EDGE class is tailor made for Steve Spagnuolo.

Since arriving in KC (2019), this draft class has:

- Has the most HIGH fit DEs (15)
- Has the second MOST medium fit DEs (16)
- The MOST high + medium fit DEs (31)

— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) March 19, 2023

What is the criteria he's using here? What exactly is HIGH FIT, MEDIUM FIT based on? Size/length/speed?

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

What is the criteria he's using here? What exactly is HIGH FIT, MEDIUM FIT based on? Size/length/speed?

I'd be curious about the same.

I think Size/Length is certainly a thing. Length more in the arms I think than overall. Size being more in that 260-270 range. Not so sure about the speed. At DE it's more about acceleration than it is about speed. How quickly does he get off the ball and then how quickly can he close to the QB when the opportunity is there? We're talking a 5-yard window here most of the time. I really don't think Spags cares a whole bunch about top-end. I'd be more inclined to look at a short shuttle for DL. Maybe look at a 10-yard split but certainly not 40 times.

I think Power is the next thing. You can look at a combo of vertical and bench and composite that. But really, I think it's identifying the guys that can be multiple and display inside/outside versatility. Diaby and guys like that are going to likely be pretty high on Spags list because they have good arm length, good power, good release, and they can play in/out.

That's my opinion, for whatever it's worth.

[The Franchise]

Let me see if I can find the criteria he's using again. I know it includes height, weight, arm length and a couple of other factors.

[The Franchise]

Looks like it's height, weight and arm length. He lists out most of the DEs here and whether they're good, medium or low fits by the colors.

KC EDGE thresholds

Felix Anudike-Uzomah ��

Ht 6031 ��
Wt 255 ��
Arm length 33.5” ��

— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) March 2, 2023

[kccrow]

Tavius Robinson is my dark horse at the edge this year. He has a good burst off the snap and has that really good length to go with a frame to pack on 20 pounds with ease. Improve his run anchor and his rush plan and get him out of that odd front that doesn't fit his skills.

He's a day 3 guy but I'd take him pretty early on day 3.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

Looks like it's height, weight and arm length. He lists out most of the DEs here and whether they're good, medium or low fits by the colors.

KC EDGE thresholds

Felix Anudike-Uzomah ��

Ht 6031 ��
Wt 255 ��
Arm length 33.5” ��

— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) March 2, 2023

Okay, I'll bite: What do the colors mean? I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess green means HIGH. But what about the others?