The Afternoon Fix: Chiefs News From Around The Web

“From a statistical perspective, you’ve got less than a 10% chance of drafting a starting quarterback outside of the first round,” Mayock said. “So I think what’s happening in this quarterback-driven league is we are getting a frenzy towards these top guys and it’s pushing value up.”

Four quarterbacks were taken in the first round of last year’s draft, which was the initial draft operating under the new CBA’s rookie wage scale (though GMs technically didn’t know the specifics of the wage scale in advance).

Selecting four quarterbacks in the first round of a draft isn’t unheard of (five were selected in the opening round of the 1999 NFL Draft), but the new CBA is blurring traditional rules for selecting quarterbacks.

General manager Scott Pioli dedicated much of the Chiefs’ resources in free agency towards shoring up the league’s second-worst scoring offense from last season, which could mean he’ll be turning his attention to a defense that’s somewhat thin in a few places during the draft. The depth issues are most prevalent along the front line, with Kansas City in need of a replacement for aging nose tackle Kelly Gregg and starting end Glenn Dorsey entering the final year of his contract, and the team could additionally use a third safety with starter’s skills with young standout Eric Berry coming off a torn ACL.

Will the Chiefs make a big move up? The Kansas City Chiefs could become the story of the division with a move up for Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. There has been recent buzz that the Chiefs may be one of the teams interested in moving up for Tannehill. If he is available at No. 7 (Miami may take Tannehill at No. 8), I could see the Chiefs jumping in the mix. Jacksonville, which has the No. 7 pick, probably would be willing to part with the pick or the Chiefs could take a risk and hope he falls to No. 11. Tannehill is the only attainable quarterback who could immediately press Matt Cassel.

After the unveiling of the plaque, Dawson shared some of the lessons he learned in the halls of Alliance High School and throughout his career to help the students at Alliance achieve Hall of Fame success in the future.

“Look at me, I never started and finished a game in the first five years of my NFL career,” shared Dawson who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. “So the advice I have to young students and athletes is to never give up and do the best you can with the opportunities you are presented with. This honor ranks the highest of any I’ve received – to me there’s nothing better.”

In addition to the plaque, a commemorative Len Dawson “Hometown Hall of Famer™” road sign will be on display in the Alliance community.

“To be part of a program that brings the prestige and tradition of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to communities like Alliance is an honor for Allstate, our agents and employees,” said Lisa Cochrane, Allstate’s senior vice president of marketing.

”Ta’amu is sure to warrant plenty of looks from teams for his ability to clog running lanes and eat up blockers,” said Shawn Zobel, who runs a draft website at www,draftheadquarters.com. “He’s still a player who is developing with a lot of untapped potential. In the right defensive system and with the right coaches, he could be a very effective player in the NFL.”

On Monday, I’ll unveil my Chiefs first-round pick.