KC Chiefs Blog

It took until the fourth round, but the Kansas City Chiefs finally gave defensive coordinator Bob Sutton a draft pick to help make some noise. The Chiefs selected Alabama LB Nico Johnson with the 99th pick.

Johnson brings a fantastic pedigree, having contributed to thee National Championship teams on Nick Saban’s defense in his four years. Last season he was the Tide’s third-leading tackler and forced two fumbles.

He isn’t the best athlete and wasn’t able to put up impressive numbers at the Alabama Pro Day, but he’s a guy that’s not afraid to hit or be hit. Johnson can immediately bring a nastiness to the defense that can help the Chiefs improve their performance against the run (No. 27).

There’s no reason Johnson can’t quickly move to the top of the Kansas city depth chart. Tamba Hali, Justin Houston and Derrick Johnson are locks at three of the linebacker spots, but there is no proven commodity at the fourth.

The Kansas City Chiefs continued to give QB Alex Smith weapons by selecting Arkansas RB Knile Davis with the 96th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

On talent alone, Davis is a guy that has the potential to be the perfect compliment to Jamaal Charles. A combination of size and speed that can be deadly to defenses. The problem for the Chiefs is Davis has never been able to use his talent without injuries getting in the way.

He dealt with three different ankle issues and a hamstring injury. After showing just how dangerous he could be in 2010 by averaging a Charles-esque 6.5 yards per carry, he returned from an injury to pick up just 3.4 yards in 2012.

A lot of the concerns from his miserable season were forgotten when he wowed scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine. Davis weighed in at 227 pounds and ripped off a 4.37 (!!) 40-yard dash to go along with some more eye-popping stats: 31 reps on the bench press, 33.5″ vertical jump and 10’8″ broad jump.

His numbers at the combine might have reminded teams the kind of player he used to be, but it can’t make anyone forget about his problems holding onto the ball. During his time at Arkansas Davis fumbled 13 times and if he’s going to produce at the NFL level he’ll have to learn to hold onto the football.

The Kansas City Chiefs weren’t able to swing a deal with the Miami Dolphins for OT Branden Albert to recoup the second round pick lost in the Alex Smith trade. So that means their second selection of the 2013 NFL Draft was the 63rd overall pick, the first in the third round.

With that pick, the Chiefs selected TE Travis Kelce from Cincinnati. Despite just one year of solid production in the Big East, Kelce earned a rating of 80 from Scouts Inc., the fourth best of any tight end in the 2013 class.

That one year was a big one. Kelce set a school record for receiving yards by a tight end with 722 and hauled in eight touchdowns. He also has a connection to Andy Reid who drafted his older brother Jason with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kelce fills a big need, but is also a bit of a wild card. In addition to the limited time as a difference maker, he also sat out a year at Cincinnati after a violation of team rules. If he has his head on straight, Kelce has the potential to be a huge weapon in Reid’s offense both on the ground as a blocker and in the passing game.

Tony Moeaki is still on the roster and Anthony Fasano was added in free agency, but Reid will never turn down another big time player at tight end. In addition to depth, the Chiefs coaches also have to worry about Moeaki’s ability to stay healthy.

In what could be the biggest endorsement of the pick, this is a player former GM Scott Pioli wouldn’t have gone anywhere near.

The NFL Draft is never short on drama and things were no different Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall. One of the biggest moments was when the Miami Dolphins, unable to complete a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for Branden Albert, jumped from 12 to three.

With offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel already off the board, it was assumed the Dolphins were making the big move to land Lane Johnson, the best tackle left on the board.

The Chiefs had gambled by sitting on the Albert trade until after the first round and it appeared they had lost. It was back to the drawing board for GM John Dorsey when it came to finding a new home for his franchised left tackle.

Then the Dolphins bypassed Johnson in favor of electric edge rusher Dion Jordan and suddenly the trade for Albert could still happen… depending on what it cost to move up.

Turns out the Oakland Raiders fell back to 12 for one of Miami’s second round picks, leaving another pick the round to flip the Chiefs way for Albert.

At this point the two sides have been through so many different starts and stops that this trade almost has to go down. Miami is in desperate need of protection for QB Ryan Tannehill and they aren’t going to land someone equal to Albert at pick 54.

Dorsey told reporters Thursday night he and the Dolphins have agreed to touch base again on Friday. There’s a deal to be made and there’s no reason it should have to wait until Miami is on the clock.

In the end, the Kansas City Chiefs decided they wanted the offensive tackle that was a little more raw and carried a bit more of a nasty streak. So with the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the team selected Eric Fisher from Central Michigan.

Scouts Inc. assigned a rating of 96 to Fisher, the second best score of any prospect in the draft, with only fellow tackle Luke Joeckel scored better.

You can check out his profile from Central Michigan here.

The Chiefs couldn’t go wrong with Joeckel or Fisher and even though I feel the big man from Texas A&M is the more finished product, they certainly are still getting bad, bad man to protect Alex Smith’s blind side.

With the Branden Albert situation still unresolved, there’s still a chance Fisher plays right tackle for a year before letting Albert walk in free agency, it seems likely one way or another the rookie will be the starting left tackle when Week 1 comes around.

Fisher was first team All-MAC and a third team All-America selection by AP. He helped wipe away any concerns about the lower level of competition by shining at the Senior Bowl.

As it became clear he was in the running for the top pick with Joeckel, Fisher was saying all the right things as he made the media rounds. But his head coach at Central Michigan told ESPN the tackle wanted to be the first player off the board.

“Eric would be ticked off if he wasn’t the number one pick,” Butch Jones said “No matter what he says”

We won’t know exactly where he fits in right away until the Chiefs decide what to do with Albert, but no matter what Andy Reid and John Dorsey added a huge piece to their reloading plan.

There might be something to this Eric Fisher buzz after all.

In a span of just a few hours, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock and Jay Glazer of Fox Sports both have the big man from Central Michigan heading to the Kansas City Chiefs with the first overall pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

Mayock only puts out one mock draft each year instead of the multiple versions that most draftniks filter through. And sitting at the top isn’t Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M, but instead Fisher.

I think he’s got more upside than Luke Joeckel, and I think there’s very minimal downside. You can plug-and-play him for the next 10 years and you’ve got a potential All-Pro tackle.

During this whole debate over these two tackles, a common theme was a finished product in Joeckel vs. the potential of Fisher. I feel more comfortable with Joeckel, who I think will be better than Fisher even if he hits his ceiling.

For Glazer, while GM John Dorsey is still taking trade calls, he says Fisher will be the pick if the Chiefs stay put.

“Big, nasty, fits city” the plugged-in reporter tweeted.

One can argue Mayock is going on feel the same way someone like Todd McShay or Mel Kiper will, but Glazer breaks more NFL news than anyone in the industry. He knows everyone and if he’s hearing Fisher will be the pick, Fisher will be the pick.

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the clock and they are just hours away from handing in their card to kick off the 2013 NFL Draft. In each of the last two years they have ended up with eight picks, the same number they open this weekend holding.

There’s still a chance the Chiefs pick up more picks in a Branden Albert trade or by moving around in the later rounds, but we’ll take a stab at what their final haul could look like if they hold onto all of their current picks.

All of the 16 players we have picked for the Chiefs over the last two years are still on NFL rosters, something former Kansas City GM Scott Pioli can’t say.

It’s tough enough to guess which way a team will go in the first round, making it nearly impossible to predict who they will take with the 207th overall selection. But we’ve once again taken our best shot by mocking players to Kansas City we feel would fit best with the Chiefs.

1. Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

The best player on the board comes to Kansas City and takes over for Branden Albert at left tackle. You keep him there and don’t think about the position again for years.

With Joeckel in the fold, he becomes the best player on the Chiefs line no matter who is on the roster. He can make sure new QB Alex Smith stays upright, something that has been easier said than done in Kansas City the last few years.

3. D.J. Swearinger, S, South Carolina

Playing with the best player in college football will make it easy for people to overlook what you can do and that could be the case with Swearinger. The South Carolina defense was lead by the machine that is Jadeveon Clowney, but it could be argued the hard-hitting, do-everything safety was the glue.

The captain has a non-stop reel of his own monster hits. However, Swearinger is more than just a big hitter. He can play either safety position and won’t ever back down from getting dirty up at the line of scrimmage.

If he is still on the board at the top of the third round, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs passing.

3. Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

Speaking of versatility, the Chiefs are still looking for it along the defensive line and Montgomery can help. Much like current Kansas City LB Justin Houston did, Montgomery has first-round talent and finds himself falling down draft boards because red flags that have surfaced during the draft process.

For the defensive lineman out of LSU, he told reporters he varied his effort depending on which team was lining up across the line from him. There was also talk of a wager he made with likely top 15 pick Barkevious Mingo.

4. Jordan Reed, TE, Florida

We keep the ball rolling with players able to fill multiple roles by tabbing the hybrid out of The Swamp. He’ll never be a true tight end and that’s a good thing.

Reed can do a little bit of everything, including serve as a dangerous Wildcat quarterback after starring as a signal caller in high school and completing 57 percent of his passes as a freshman at Florida.

If you thought Reid was excited talking about the options his offense will have with Dexter McCluster, he could double up by adding Reed.

5. Kwame Geathers, DT, Georgia

The man he rotated with, Johnathan Jenkins, will be off the board well before him, but that doesn’t mean teams should sleep on the big man with the perfect pedigree — his father, uncle and two brothers all made their way to the NFL.

Though he only started five games, Geathers had 40 tackles in 2012, including six in the SEC title game against Alabama.

He’s a raw talent that already has the power and bulk to be a pain in the middle when he wants to be. With a little refinement, he has a chance to be a force.

6. Kerwynn Williams, RB, Utah State

It might be easy to tear down prospects because they don’t come from a power conference, but don’t expect the Chiefs head coach to do it. One of Reid’s best draft picks during his time with the Eagles was Brian Westbrook out of Villanova University.

While it’s a lot to expect Williams to be nearly as good as Westbrook, he is coming out of an offense that produced two NFL players last year in Robert Turbin and Michael Smith. In his one year as the star at Utah State, Williams was able to not only show what he could do, but kept his body fresh.

He averaged 6.9 yards per carry and 15.5 per reception while finding the end zone 20 times. In addition to being the perfect fit for what Reid wants his running backs to be able to do, Williams could also help fill the huge void in the return game.

6. John Lotulelei, LB, UNLV

If the Chiefs pass on the other Lotulelei (Star, no relation) in the first round, they can make up for it here in the later rounds! After playing two years at a Junior College, Lotulelei worked his way from rotation player to defensive leader at UNLV.

In addition to starting just one full season with the Rebels, Lotulelei’s size (5-11) will push him down draft boards. However, he can step right in and deliver on special teams while adding depth at a position the Chiefs front office has tried to address this offseason with four free agents.

7. Charles Johnson, WR, Grand Valley State

I think we can all agree that players from GVSU are worth a second look in Kansas City. After all, things turned out pretty well the last time the Chiefs plucked talent out of Allendale, Michigan (Brandon Carr).

It’s not just his level of competition holding Johnson down, but also how much he bounced around during college. He played one season at Eastern Kentucky University and another at a Community College before landing at Grand Valley State.

In two years, Johnson caught 128 passes for 2,229 yards (17.4 avg) and 31 touchdowns, but didn’t earn an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. That left the 6-2 receiver with just his pro day to impress and he put up solid numbers across the board.

Headlined by a sub 4.4 40-yard dash, he also had an impressive vertical jump (39.5″, would have been best at the combine), broad jump (11’3″, second) and bench press (14 reps, 12th).

The 2013 NFL Draft is just two days away and the Kansas City Chiefs have been on the clock since their terribly 2012 season came to a close. They have a chance to follow the example of many teams that announced who the first overall pick would be before the draft.

The Indianapolis Colts let the world in on the worst kept secret the Tuesday before the draft last year: Andrew Luck would be the first player off the board.

Don’t expect GM John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid to let anyone in on their secret today or any time before things kick off in New York City Thursday night. That’s the word from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While the Chiefs likely have already made up their minds about who to take with the first overall pick, that’s assuming they stay in that spot. Like many teams sitting in the top third of the draft, Kansas City will look to move back and pick up extra picks.

Until they are ready to shut the door on moving the top pick, there’s no need for the Chiefs to announce their intentions before they hand in their draft card.

The 2013 NFL Draft is quickly approaching and the final mock drafts are coming in fast and furious. All signs still point to the Kansas City Chiefs using the No. 1 overall pick on an offensive tackle, but obviously a lot can change between now and Thursday.

Our friends over at SB Nation are ready to wrap up their mock drafts and with one of their final takes on the first round, they still feel comfortable sending a familiar name to Kansas City.

1. Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
There is still some confusion on where exactly the Chiefs will go with the first overall pick. The majority believe it will be Joeckel. However, Eric Fisher is still a strong possibility, as is Dion Jordan to a lesser degree.

Not to give away too much from our Chiefs mock draft coming later this week, but Joeckel should be the pick. He’s the top rated player in the draft and knowing he can step right in at left tackle will make it that much easier for GM John Dorsey to deal Branden Albert or hold onto him for one more season and let him walk.

There is a ton of buzz around Fisher and he’s going to be a solid pro, but he doesn’t measure up to Joeckel. Maybe Dorsey and Andy Reid fall in love with his potential and go pull the trigger, though that still doesn’t seem likely.

The NFL released the entire regular season schedule for 2013 and the Kansas City Chiefs will open up on the road against the rebuilding Jacksonville Jaguars.

Andy Reid’s first home game will come in Week 2 when the Chiefs welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Arrowhead Stadium. That NFC East opponent will be just a warm up for the main event, a showdown with Reid’s old team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia on national television the third week of the season.

Just for good measure, the Chiefs will follow up the Eagles game by hosting Eli Manning and the New York Giants. They won’t finish their tour of the NFC East until Week 14 when they travel to take on the Washington Redskins.

The Chiefs don’t face a division rival until Week 6 when the Oakland Raiders come to town. It’s then another month before an AFC West matchup Week 11 in Denver against the Broncos. That kicks off a stretch of three-straight division games and five of seven to finish the season.

All in all, there’s a lot to like about the Chiefs schedule. It’s the fifth weakest strength of schedule with their opponents 2012 winning percentage sitting at .473. The downside to that is three of the teams with easier schedules are the Raiders (.469), Chargers (.457) and Broncos (.430, easiest in the league).

Before anyone wants to hand Peyton Manning a Super Bowl trophy, the last seven years the team with the easiest strength of schedule has only made the playoffs twice (2012 Patriots, 2006 Bears).

See The Chiefs 2013 Schedule