ESPN’s Louis Riddick loves Chiefs’ draft
On Wednesday, ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick went on the KTGR podcast and talked about the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. Since we don’t care about the Rams over here, we are going to skip that nonsense and go right into what Riddick thinks of the boys in red and yellow.
For a bit of background, Riddick was a former NFL cornerback who bounced around on three teams, ultimately going into the scouting world. In 2008, Riddick joined the Philadelphia Eagles and worked with Andy Reid in the front office for five seasons.
Riddick is extremely high on second-round pick Mitch Morse, saying the following:
"“I know what kind of system they run as far as play-calling and how they teach the position, and I know what they will ask Mitch to do. I know how they scouting department felt about Mitch. I know about as much about Mitch’s character both football and personal as anyone in the league because I did a lot of research on him. I know he fits perfectly for what they ar trying to build down there and the kind of program that they want.“We haven’t even gotten to his ability, which I think is outstanding. I think Mitch can be a Pro Bowl center immediately. Now whether or not he plays that position or they leave Eric Kush at that position is another argument, but I think and Cam Erving, who went to the Browns this year, could be immediately Pro Bowl linemen at the center position. On top of it, the kid played left tackle and played left tackle very well at a very tough position. He has played guard, he has played right tackle. The whole profile from A-Z is exactly what any team would want, but in particular, knowing what the people in Kansas City are looking for, it doesn’t get any better than that.”"
The next question to Riddick centered around Kansas City’s intriguing pick of Georgia wide receiver Chris Conley:
"“He gives them a body type and a playing style that they don’t have. Jeremy Maclin is an outside guy and by that I mean a traditional Z or X and won’t go in the slot very often. He gives them a bigger body type on the outside that can really be a second and third-level threat that could help Jeremy, because Jeremy is going to be that kind of guy too, but Jeremy is going to be moved all over the place. They didn’t pay Jeremy $11 million per year to be a stationary target and be just another boring receiving target for them.“Chris, if he can develop his game, number one being more efficient at the line of scrimmage, continuing to refine himself as a route-runner, be a consistent catcher of the football, that’s just what you want. And again, that is a great value pickup. He’s not a finished product by any means, but if there is someone who can teach him the nuances at the line of scrimmage, finishing routes, it’s (Chiefs wide receivers coach) David Culley because he is one of the best in the business, if not the best. I like a lot of the things that they did, in terms of the players they picked, where they picked them, and then who they are going to be developed by.”"
If that isn’t a ringing endorsement of Morse, Conley and the Chiefs’ coaching staff, I don’t know what is.