Jon Gruden: Nathan Peterman a good fit for Kansas City Chiefs

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden says the Kansas City Chiefs are a good fit for Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman in the draft.

As Jon Gruden continues to conduct his quarterback camps and pre-draft research, it’s clear that he’s fallen for Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman. The only question is whether or not anyone actively working in the NFL will feel the same. If Gruden has his way, someone from the Kansas City Chiefs or New Orleans Saints will find themselves enamored enough to take him early.

The Chiefs have done their own research on every quarterback in this year’s draft class, from the guys unlikely to be available like Mitchell Trubisky and Deshaun Watson to mid-round prospects like Josh Dobbs and Davis Webb. Peterman has most certainly been in the mix with interviews at the NFL Combine and a personal visit to Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs are unlikely to need a quarterback who can play immediately given that Alex Smith is firmly entrenched as the starter this coming season, so the fact that Peterman is the most pro-ready isn’t a selling point. However, Gruden also believes his high intelligence makes him a prime candidate for teams with a meaty playbook, where even learning the terminology and schemes are a tall order for some. That’s definitely true of Andy Reid and the Chiefs.

"“He can handle an extensive amount of football, so the teams that are really ambitious with deep, thick playbooks, those are the teams that Peterman would fit in with.”"

Gruden also mentions the Saints as another franchise who should take a closer look at Peterman. Both teams have a veteran for at least one more year before the reins could potentially be turned over to someone else. For the Chiefs, that means either a drafted rookie or Tyler Bray. For the Saints, it means former Chiefs back-up Chase Daniel, Garrett Grayson or a drafted rookie like Peterman.

Peterman had 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions last season for Pitt.