My Chief Concerns: It’s Simple; Draft For Need
By author
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. ~Confucius
With regards to our first couple of picks, I have been thinking, over thinking, flipping and flopping back and forth over the selection. I have been overanalyzing it to the extreme, and that seems to be the problem.
Without simplifying the process too much, wouldn’t you all agree that most draft picks are based upon two things: need and best player available?
If those are the two criteria which are most important when considering a draft pick, can’t we safely assume that the Chiefs will not be taking the best player available, but selecting solely upon need with the first three picks?
Some teams have the luxury of being so stacked at most positions that they can draft the best player available. The “best player available theory” provides depth, but the Chiefs need starters at many positions, not depth. Let’s face it, our Kansas City Chiefs absolutely do not have starting quality players at NT, ILB, FS, SS, C, TE, FB, and KR/PR (that is 8 positions and we only have 8 picks). Does anyone disagree with that? As such, if our Chiefs do not address those positions early in the draft they are doing so at the expense of our team.
The Chiefs are full of holes, especially on defense. We already have “good to great to developing starters” at WR, QB, OL, RB, CB and DE. It is nice to have depth at those positions, (any position really), but not at the expense of other starting positions with less talent.
To me the draft comes down to these incredibly simple questions:
If the Chiefs draft a QB, OL, RB, CB, or DE (not positions of need) with one of their first three picks, will the Chiefs be an better team than just prior to the draft?
Or,
If the Chiefs draft a NT, ILB, FS, SS, C, TE, FB, and KR/PR (all positions of need) with one of their first three picks, will the Chiefs be a better team than just prior to the draft?
To me it is a no brainer, drafting a QB, OL, RB, CB or DE does not make us an instantly better team. It may provide more depth and quality, but it does not solidify the starting roster. If the Chiefs choose one of those positions with the first pick they have missed a wonderful opportunity to coalesce the roster.
Therefore, Eric Berry, Rolando McClain or Dan Williams should be the choices for the Chiefs at number five. Such a pick makes us instantly better because we need top talent at their respective positions. Our second round picks have to address the other areas of need not addressed by the first pick. It is so simple it is embarrassing. Am I wrong?