Chiefs 2011 NFL MockISH Draft

Let me preface by saying that this is not truly a mock draft. I will not be selecting for anyone but the Chiefs, and I will select using a combination of who they may take and who they should take. If anyone thinks they can actually know what's going on inside Scott Pioli's mind, I'd like to introduce you to a Nigerian prince I know. So, lets not believe any mock is near correct. This is just my wish list but one that could be realistic. The Chiefs have eight picks this year, two in the fifth, one compensatory pick after the sixth.

Round 1 (pick 21) - Mike Pouncey - C/G, University of Florida, 6'5" 303 lbs

My brother has already commented about how he believes Pouncey won't be there at 21. He may not be; that's how good he is. Centers and guards rarely go top-20, but Pouncey has the strength-agility combination teams love out of interior offensive linemen. He's got a great anchor in pass protection and enough power to drive smaller defensive tackles off the ball and stalemate the larger ones in the run game. He's not as polished as his brother was coming into the draft, but he's smart and certainly has the Pro Bowl potential his brother did. The Chiefs have a few needs, WR, NT, RT, OLB, but Pouncey seems like a safe pick and a high character guy, which Pioli loves. Casey Wiegmann has already stated that he may retire this offseason. Even if he doesn't, Pouncey would be an upgrade as Wiegmann isn't the athlete he once was. Most sites and people who read those sites are predicting Phil Taylor, NT from Baylor, at this spot. If that's the case, it isn't in keeping with Pioli's track record and may be a huge mistake. Taylor reeks of a kid with real character problems who got his stuff together in time to get a big payday. He's been overweight often, and with the team's emphasis on conditioning and character, he just seems like a poor fit. If Pouncey is gone at this spot, look for Gabe Carimi or Anthony Castonzo, both right tackles, or Ryan Kerrigan or Akeem Ayers, both OLB in the Chiefs 3-4. I like any of those picks but especially Kerrigan.

Round 2 (pick 55) - Sam Acho - DE/OLB, University of Texas, 6'2" 261 lbs

Kiper would call this a reach, and it is. But Sam Acho is just so damn impressive. Put on some of his games at Texas and you'll see a guy who never stops running. He's got good speed around the edge. He's stout against the run and a sure tackler. Acho actually reminds me of Tamba Hali, and though Hali has more refined pass rush moves and might be just a touch quicker off the edge, Acho seems like he'll be more comfortable dropping. His measurables are very good (4.68-40, 23 bench reps, 33 in. vertical). I watched him in the Senior Bowl practices and game, and he was the most dominant defensive player there, especially in the game. During drills there and at the combine, he showed the agility to stand up as an outside linebacker and play in coverage. It may be half a year or a year until he's completely comfortable with the transition, but that's true of most conversion guys. And, as an added bonus, he's suppose to be a very high character guy and an intelligent football player. I know a lot of people want the Chiefs to take a wideout in the first two rounds. Certainly, wideout is a possibility here. Leonard Hankerson, Jon Baldwin, Titus Young, and Torrey Smith are all possibilities at wideout if they fall this far, but they all have some serious negatives. Quality at wideout will be left later in the draft as will quality at nose tackle.

Round 3 (pick 86) - Edmund Gates - WR, Abilene Christian University, 6'0" 196 lbs

This was by far the hardest selection to make. I believe the Chiefs would be well served to take a wideout in the third round. Many quality wideouts should be left at this point. The hard part is deciding between them; each has issues. The ones with fewer issues will probably be taken by then (Tandon Doss). I chose Gates because of his big play potential. If you're wondering is this Division II player really that highly rated? Yes. In fact, Kiper has him going before the Chiefs pick in the third round. Gates has first round talent. Solid hands, though he drops a few easy ones. Blazing speed, he had the fastest time by a wideout at the combine and tweaked his hamstring doing it. Good enough route running for a vertical threat. Gates' biggest question marks come off the field. He comes from one of the worst backgrounds a player can, shades of William Greene, the running back from Boston College drafted probably 10 years ago now. His father went to prison for murder, and he grew up in a bad neighborhood. He's had some very minor character things in his past, nothing with the law or anything, but his background has to make a team leery. That said, he might be the best choice here. If he stays healthy and keeps his nose clean, he could be as good or better than Johnny Knox, his old college teammate. And the Chiefs could really use a legitimate deep threat who can actually catch the ball.

Round 4 (pick 118) - Vincent Brown - WR, San Diego State, 5'11" 184 lbs

Brown is the classic production and tape vs. measurables guy. He had an unbelievable senior year for the Aztecs, 69 rec., 1,352 yards, 10 touchdowns. That's a college season at San Diego State ... wow. At the Senior Bowl, Brown was the most impressive player during practice, catching everything thrown to anyone. He didn't have as stellar a game, but he still showed well. The knock on him will be his his 40-time, 4.68. Oddly enough he averaged almost 20 yards per reception last year. He plays faster on the field than in gym shorts and runs very polished routes. If not for the 40-time, he might go as high as the second or third round. I have a feeling that this guy could be a very good slot receiver that a quarterback can rely on to move the chains, much like a Brandon Stokley or Austin Collie. He's probably a more polished receiver than Gates right now and doesn't have all the other concerns that come with Gates. He's also a capable run blocker.

Round 5 (pick 135) - Jerrell Powe - NT, Ole Miss, 6'2" 335 lbs

Powe's an interesting guy. He's a Pioli guy in terms of leadership and character. He's got a great motor, was a team captain, and all that rigamarole. His issues come physically and mentally. He tires quickly, and when he tires, his technique suffers. All that means is he's not a well conditioned athlete. The Chiefs pride themselves on getting their players in shape, and since his only other concern is a learning disability, I think he's the pick here. The Chiefs need a new nose tackle and not to many guys have the build and block-occupying ability to play that position. Powe has that ability (think a very poor man's Casey Hampton). He's a good anchor against the run with a decent first step. The Chiefs won't ask him to get to the quarterback, which is great because he really can't. His measurables are thoroughly unimpressive, but he has the ability to control the line of scrimmage and is shifty for his size. If he can get in good enough shape to play two downs a series, the Chiefs could have a solid rotation at nose tackle and an eventual successor to Ron Edwards. Kendrick Ellis might actually be the better talent at nose, but either he'll be gone or in prison so he's not really a Pioli guy.

Round 5 (pick 140) - DeMarcus Love - OT, Arkansas, 6'4" 315 lbs

Pioli loves SEC guys. Here's another one. Clearly, the Chiefs need to get younger on the offensive side and on the offensive line. Ryan O'Callahan is aging, can't stay healthy, and isn't effective when he is. Barry Richardson, who I had high hopes for, wasn't stellar last year, and seems to have a bit of an attitude. Love is the opposite. He's a hard-working, quiet guy, maybe too quiet. He may need to develop a little more of a mean streak, but he looks good as a developmental tackle. He won't start right away. He probably won't even start his second year. But give him a couple years, let him work on his footwork, which is somewhat sloppy, and he might turn into a very solid right tackle. He blocked for a pretty successful offense at Arkansas, and seems more comfortable in pass protection so he'll need to work on engaging, staying low, and keeping the defender inside his frame using his feet in the run game. But his size, intelligence, and work ethic are encouraging signs. Hopefully, he's available in the fifth round.

Round 6 (pick 199) - Owen Marecic - FB, Stanford, 6'0" 248 lbs

The Chiefs may be able to get Marecic as an undrafted free agent, but why risk it? This guy is Pioli's wet dream. He'll play fullback in the NFL, a dying position, and he'll do it adequately. He's a pretty good blocker, and though it doesn't always look pretty, he catches the ball well enough. He's a hard worker and a smart guy so he should be able to get even better when he focuses on one position (he started at both fullback and linebacker at Stanford). Marecic is amazing because of his all around footballness (yeah it's not a real word). He'll be on every special team immediately and should excel in that role. More importantly, he'll be a guy other guys respect. He'll do whatever is asked of him, and he'll play his heart out. The Chiefs kick coverage could use the help, and if he's able to turn himself into a good fullback, which I think he will, they'll have another valuable piece on offense.

Round 7 (pick 223) - Ryan Jones - CB, Northwest Missouri State, 5'11" 197 lbs

Ok. Before you say Well that's a complete homer pick, which it is, let me state that Scouts Inc. has Jones rated as the 32nd best cornerback in the draft. That's not bad. He has a good chance of getting drafted, and will certainly be an undrafted free agent. Why shouldn't the Chiefs take him? He's a local kid with tremendous college production. They've had success with Division II and III talent before (Brandon Carr and Andy Studebaker). Jones has the speed necessary to play in the NFL and his ball skills are terrific. He does have issues diagnosing routes quickly, and is certainly not the most physical corner, but give him a few years, and he could develop. A team would love to have someone with his ball skills in a dime package, floating in zones, waiting to snatch a pick. He has also had some success in college, if memory serves, blocking kicks and punts; that's added value. As far as I know, there aren't any character questions, which is good, and he did what he had to do, produce at a really high level against lower competition. The Chiefs should take a shot on him.

Ok. That was much harder than I thought it would be and took much longer than any person should spend doing something like this. April 28-30 should be all kinds of fun. Can't wait.