The Crock’s Mock… again.
And doesn’t the world seem brighter? I myself was doing my usual rounds this morning, laying the grease down for systemic governmental corruption, breaking the knees of this “true believer” guy who didn’t want the goods I was pushing. And wouldn’t you know it, the pool of blood from my hacksaw gave off a heavenly glint in the morning sun. It just makes you feel good to be alive.
You should feel good, too. All day AA is bringing you some creative, informed Chiefs mock drafts from creative, informed Chiefs fans: myself, Merlin, and Adam. You know the rules by this point (here’s a primer if you don’t). As usual, I start things off.
One thing before I get too far. I keep up with Draft buzz as much as anybody. And one thing you’re starting to notice this week that will ONLY get worse in the remaining two weeks before the draft: mysterious injury reports bubbling up for players that we all thought were pretty much healthy. Alabama RB Mark Ingram is the latest victim. Ingam does have a slight injury history, but his production and his recent clean bill of health leaves me no doubt that he is healthy as a horse.
So don’t believe them. Matter of fact, we are officially at the point where no rumors can be believed. This is the Smokescreen Hour. So be very wary.
My Kansas City Chiefs mock, after the jump.
Round 1, Pick 21 (21) Gabe Carimi 6’7” 314 lbs. Offensive Tackle Wisconsin
In my first Chiefs mock for this website, I endorsed Carimi the first time around. I continue to think that this will be the case. Although, as we talked about, who the hell knows.
First off, the value in the late first round is in the trenches. Second off, as tempting as players like Baylor NT Phil Taylor (the trailor from Baylor) or Arizona OLB Brooks Reed are, they are exciting but not sure things. And in the first round, Pioli loves a sure thing.
There are no surer things at this point in the draft other than Florida C/G Mike Pouncey or Gabe Carimi. Carimi hails from the most NFL-ready run game in college football. He played in a division where he faced tons of future first round picks this year (Heyward, Liuget…) and handed their ass to all of them. He even lined up against J.J. Watt in practice.
Round 2, Pick 23 (55) Quan Sturdivant 6’1″ 241 lbs. Inside Linebacker North Carolina
Sturdivant was the subject of a discussion here earlier this week, and he’s an exciting prospect to flesh out our front seven. He’s not going to break the landspeed record, but he has pretty decent range and hits like a #&$%ing truck.
In other words this is your thumper back of the future, and the best one in this draft. I like Jovan Belcher and all, but I love an elite front seven even more. No player at #55 can upgrade that part of our team more than Sturdivant.
Round 3, Pick 22 (86) Dontay Moch 6’1″ 248 lbs. Outside Linebacker Nevada
Forgive me, I let my obsession with the front seven get ahead of me. But this pick seems like a match made in Heaven for the speedy and incredibly fun-to-watch Moch, whose sub-4.5 speed is stunning and allows him to terrorize off the edge as well as drop easily into coverage. And it’s a perfect recruit for head coach Todd Haley, who loves workaholics, and Moch hails from Nevada, a program famous for its military-like regimen.
Add to that: Moch’s upside. He’s got upside that flirts with Aldon Smith territory.
Round 4, Pick 21 (118) Tandon Doss 6’2” 201 lbs. Wide Receiver Indiana
Looking for a brilliant, comprehensive read on the Draft? Look no further. The Miami Sun Sentinel’s Dave Hyde and two Draft experts weigh in on each position on the Draft, weighing their favorites, overrateds, and sleepers. They even preview who to watch for 2012.
Along with Richard Lines of UniversalDraft.com, Hyde writes about their favorite sleeper at WR:
"Richard and I both really like Indiana’s Tandon Doss. For me he’s a guy that plays quicker than he times, goes up and gets the ball out of his frame, possesses outstanding hands, has return ability and only an injury has stopped him being talked about in the top 2 rounds. Rich agrees: “Doss needs to get stronger and more refined as he can struggle to defeat the jam with his hands at the line but he has soft hands and the toughness to go over the middle.”"
Round 5, Pick 4 (135) Stanley Havili 6’0″ 227 Fullback USC
I personally think the listing of Havili as a fullback can be a bit of a misnomer. He definitely has some pounding credentials, but his ability to catch in the flat and his athleticism in carrying the ball can translate to a bruiser back role that this team desperately needs. (Sorry Nick, I’m not sold on Thomas Jones as a stud.) He’s got some ability to round the corner, too.
Split carries with Charles, put McCluster in for speed packages, and this run game is made. If you can find something for TJ to carry, I’m good. But these are three runners I can invest the future in.
Round 5, Pick 9 (140) Greg Salas 6’1`” 210 lbs. Wide Receiver Hawaii
I still like Salas. Ha.
Round 6, Pick 34 (199) Lazarius Levingston 6’4″ 292 lbs. Defensive End LSU
If you’re mock drafting for the Kansas City Chiefs, you can’t really go wrong with defensive linemen from LSU.
Levingston needs some work, but his size and his strength against the run game are huge assets for a defensive line that badly needs depth at end. He will need work, like I said, passrushing. But we can afford to have an incomplete player who needs work so long as it gives Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey a chance for a blow on the sidelines.
Round 7, Pick 20 (223) TJ Yates 6’3” 219 lbs. Quarterback North Carolina
No school has a more talented draft class this year than North Carolina. They could have even competed for a national championship had they had all their players off suspension.
I liked a lot out of what I saw at the Combine from Yates. I feel he’s a sleeper. He worked his ass off from being a project to finishing his college career with 67% throwing, and that kind of ball security is the stuff Haley and Pioli crave in their QBs. Unlike Cassel, he also has a pretty tight deep ball with a fast release that doesn’t expose too much arm to passrushers. It’s also worth remembering that he played in a pro-style offense for multiple years in North Carolina.