The Kansas City Chiefs Should Draft A Nose Tackle

Dontari Poe is a monster. Heading into the 2015 NFL Draft, one of the few things the Kansas City Chiefs have to worry about is finding a top-tier interior defensive lineman. With Poe displaying incredible stamina and consistent effort, he gives Kansas City a tremendous asset who eats up blockers and subsequently, quarterbacks.

Still, general manager John Dorsey should draft a nose tackle with one of the team’s 10 picks. Poe’s productivity has waned throughout the season in each of the last two campaigns, in large part because he has nobody to spell him. Last year, Vance Walker was supposed to be that guy but ended up buried on the bench for unexplained reasons. In 2013, Poe once again had nobody to give him a breather.

Heading into 2015, the Chiefs need to find someone who can play 12-15 snaps per game in place of Poe. The prospects are not deep at the position, with Malcom Brown and Danny Shelton headlining the group. It’s tough to see Dorsey spending a first-round selection in this area, so let’s focus on the mid- to late-round picks.

Ellis McCarthy of UCLA could be a nice fit. At 6’5″ and 338 pounds, McCarthy has the type of size defensive line coaches dream about. He’s projected by most to be a third- or fourth-round pick, perhaps a perfect player for Kansas City to take with its first compensatory pick.

Another player to watch is Leterrius Walton out of Central Michigan. Walton stands at 6’5″ and weighs 319 pounds, so he is actually a considerably smaller body than Poe (can you imagine that?). Regardless, Walton is a project who could become a nice rotational piece with some work. He is thought to be a fifth-round pick.

Poe is a beast and stands to be one for years to come. Still, let’s hope Dorsey helps the big fella out.