“I like (the Chiefs’ draft). It could blow up in their face…but the consensus is they’ve put enough quality athletes in the locker room (to overcome a few players with questionable character).”Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: What a difference a year (and 10 wins makes) for our Chiefs. After Scot Pioli went with the altar-boy draft in 2010, he came back with the biker-bad ass draft in 2011. Can he and Todd Haley mold the new bad boys into shape by exposing them to the plethora of team captains they have assembled in the Chiefs’ locker room? It will be interesting to see if the Crips or the Scouts win out at One Arrowhead Drive.
“How do you grade the chiefs on the draft? … I don’t grade teams after draft. Fruitless exercise.”
Peter King, writer for Sports Illustrated, Twitter
GH: A fruitless exercise? It is football, Peter! The whole notion and existence of the sport is pretty much meaningless when compared to the necessities of life. But as a professional who makes his living analyzing and commenting on the game, we expect you to do your job. What a pompous ass this dweeb can be.
Peter King, writer for Sports Illustrated, Twitter
GH: A fruitless exercise? It is football, Peter! The whole notion and existence of the sport is pretty much meaningless when compared to the necessities of life. But as a professional who makes his living analyzing and commenting on the game, we expect you to do your job. What a pompous ass this dweeb can be.
“Top needs: WR, OLB, C, NT. Needs: B. Value: C. Overall: C . Solid draft in terms of addressing needs, average in terms of value.”
Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN.com
GH: I googled to capture various draft grades from writers and NFL analysts around the country but discovered that www.Arrowheadpride.com had done a remarkable job of collecting many of these quotes and links for their readers. So with a nod to Chris Thorman and his information-rich website, here are what others are saying about the Chiefs’ 2011 draft.
Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN.com
GH: I googled to capture various draft grades from writers and NFL analysts around the country but discovered that www.Arrowheadpride.com had done a remarkable job of collecting many of these quotes and links for their readers. So with a nod to Chris Thorman and his information-rich website, here are what others are saying about the Chiefs’ 2011 draft.
“I had wide receiver as a big need (for the Chiefs), and Baldwin is a big target for Matt Cassel. Problem is, he was a reach on my board.”
Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN.com
GH: The Chiefs could have probably gotten Baldwin in the second round but they liked the guy and grabbed him. I have no problem with the pick. Yes, he has baggage but this is football. We’re not screening candidates to date our daughter. Picking Baldwin in the first round puts pressure on him to be productive. I think he is confident enough to respond well to that heat.
Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN.com
GH: The Chiefs could have probably gotten Baldwin in the second round but they liked the guy and grabbed him. I have no problem with the pick. Yes, he has baggage but this is football. We’re not screening candidates to date our daughter. Picking Baldwin in the first round puts pressure on him to be productive. I think he is confident enough to respond well to that heat.
“Personally, I think the value was through the roof for the Kansas City Chiefs, regardless of where players fell on Kiper’s big board.”
Chris Thorman, writer, arrowheadpride.com
GH: Thorman is much higher on the Chiefs’ draft than the majority of the national media. Read on.
Chris Thorman, writer, arrowheadpride.com
GH: Thorman is much higher on the Chiefs’ draft than the majority of the national media. Read on.
“C: After trading down and landing big WR Jonathan Baldwin in the first round, the Chiefs used their extra third-round pick on LB Justin Houston, who failed a drug test at the combine that sank his stock."
Jarrett Bell, writer, USA Today
GH: If the character issues surface and bite Pioli and the Chiefs, the criticism will be loud and long. Pioli had an awful draft in his first year as a GM. Last year’s draft has been heralded as a huge comeback victory for Pioli. The 2011 draft looks like his best to me, despite the criticisms about drafting low-haracter players.
Jarrett Bell, writer, USA Today
GH: If the character issues surface and bite Pioli and the Chiefs, the criticism will be loud and long. Pioli had an awful draft in his first year as a GM. Last year’s draft has been heralded as a huge comeback victory for Pioli. The 2011 draft looks like his best to me, despite the criticisms about drafting low-haracter players.
“The character issues or questions measure almost as high as the sheer talent of some of the Chiefs draft picks. …While most of the Chiefs draft choices filled very specific needs that ranged from ‘that’d be nice’ to ‘glaring,’ most also come with a high upside that might not just meet that need but surpass it in every way.”
Matt Connor, writer, SBNation.com
GH: I agree with Connor. Sure there is a risk but the possible reward makes the risk not only palatable but damn sexy.
Matt Connor, writer, SBNation.com
GH: I agree with Connor. Sure there is a risk but the possible reward makes the risk not only palatable but damn sexy.
“C-. First-round wideout Jon Baldin (Pittsburgh) has undeniable talent, but isn’t as physical as his imposing size (6-4, 228 pounds) would indicate and he was a headache, at times, for the Pittsburgh coaching staff. Georgia’s Justin Houston, likewise, is a bit of a ‘tweener whose collegiate production was over-inflated by scheme. He also reportedly failed a drug test at the combine. The Chiefs were deservedly recognized as having a spectacular draft last year. This one, however, leaves me scratching my head."
Rob Rang, CBS Sports
GH: Interesting how differently some can few the exact same draft picks for the exact same team.
Rob Rang, CBS Sports
GH: Interesting how differently some can few the exact same draft picks for the exact same team.
“B . The first three players have a good chance to start this season. And Bailey and Brown should contribute in backup roles. Bannon, if he makes the team, could challenge for the starting fullback role.”
Adam Caplan, Foxsports.com
GH: A fullback from Yale? Maybe he can help Haley with his sideline fashion sense.
Adam Caplan, Foxsports.com
GH: A fullback from Yale? Maybe he can help Haley with his sideline fashion sense.
"B . This was not the typical Scott Pioli draft. Pioli has a tremendous draft resume, and that was largely built on going with high-character guys that were safe picks. Baldwin and Houston both have big-time character issues. Allen Bailey is another high risk/reward type as he seems to be between positions in the NFL, but he is a tremendous athlete. Make no mistake about it though-these guys all have tremendous upside.”
noontide, silverandblackpride.com
GH: The draft buzz has me jonesing for some football! Listening and reading out the Chiefs’ new players has me already wanting to drive up to MoWest and catch the summer workouts in St. Joe, MO. How will Haley use Bowe and Baldwin? Will the added wideout threat mean more room for Charles to roam? Will the Chiefs’ offensive line get a much-needed infusion of youth – enough to retire the aging and declining Brian Waters? Is Dexter a weapon or a bust? Has St. Joe opened any decent restaurants since August?
noontide, silverandblackpride.com
GH: The draft buzz has me jonesing for some football! Listening and reading out the Chiefs’ new players has me already wanting to drive up to MoWest and catch the summer workouts in St. Joe, MO. How will Haley use Bowe and Baldwin? Will the added wideout threat mean more room for Charles to roam? Will the Chiefs’ offensive line get a much-needed infusion of youth – enough to retire the aging and declining Brian Waters? Is Dexter a weapon or a bust? Has St. Joe opened any decent restaurants since August?
“This was a great, for whatever reason, combination of us being able to fill needs, as well as get really good football players. … I will always feel like we have needs and musts. We have gotten better a number of those places, but we are still so far away.”
Scott Pioli, Kansas City Star
GH: Really? Do we need to hear we are still “so far away?” When are we going to start a season and have our GM tell us that we plan to win the AFC West and kick some ass in the playoffs. Where is Rex Ryan’s speech writer?
Scott Pioli, Kansas City Star
GH: Really? Do we need to hear we are still “so far away?” When are we going to start a season and have our GM tell us that we plan to win the AFC West and kick some ass in the playoffs. Where is Rex Ryan’s speech writer?
GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
6 Second Review of Draft
Will the Chiefs win the Superbowl in the next 5 years? Not just NO, HELL NO!
What the Chiefs did with this draft is like Kim Kardashian getting ass implants. Few will notice and it won’t make a difference.
Why the PK hate?
A lot of bloggers and people online seem to really dislike Peter King and I’m not sure why; I think the guy’s a fantastic writer with knowledge of the game that’s surpassed by few journalists. If he’s decided after 20+ years that he doesn’t like grading drafts, that’s his prerogative and not sure why that makes him an ass Greg.
We’ll all wince at rookie mistakes this fall.
I really can’t get excited over the NFL draft.
This is why sports is great for blowhards. Lots of assertive comments and grades, but everybody knows the true value of a draft doesn’t become clear for a few years, and by then nobody remembers which blowhard gave an A and which blowhard gave a C.
HOMERS, BONERS & MISNOMERS
I like this ‘definite maybe’ review the best…
” Bannon, if he makes the team, could challenge for the starting fullback role.” ~ Adam Caplan, Foxsports.com ”
– wow… from an ‘if’ to a ‘starter’, a beggar to a savior; cue Tony Bennett – “I know I’d go from rags to riches!” Way to cover both ends, Cap. In related news, it will be dark tonight but if the world doesn’t end the sun could come out tomorrow; the guy sounds about as cogent as another Mensa on the website Warpaint?, who said not only will all 9 draftees make the team, but 5 will become starters (sure they will… if a typhoid outbreak occurs.)
“When are we going to start a season and have our GM tell us that we plan to win the AFC West and kick some ass in the playoffs.”
– as soon as Jason Whitlock replaces egoli (shades 16-0 predictions afore, and Jeff George lore…)
“Where is Rex Ryan’s speech writer?”
– brushing up on his scatological adjectives…