You may think Arrowhead Addict and the Chiefs are the center of the universe but I assure you there are some other good FanSided Sites out there. Many in fact.

If you haven’t noticed yet, FanSided has just launched a new Missouri Tigers blog called Zoulogy.

The crew over there is just getting things started but they are already doing a fantastic job. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor.

Also check out our Royals blog Kings Of Kauffman. It’s super.

Check it out.

Here is Madson’s tweet:

Jason_Madson Jason Madson
Andrew Gachkar working out for the Chiefs at local pro day. #Mizzou

I don’t know a whole lot about Gachkar but NFL Draft Scout lists him as the 52nd best OLB in the draft, meaning he is likely a 7th round-undrafted free agent prospect.

I watch mostly Big Ten ball but I know some of you cheer for Missouri. What is the story on this kid?

We’ll have a breakdown of Smith later this weekend as a part of our Chiefs Draft Prospects series but I can tell you he is projecting as a later first round pick.

The fact that the Chiefs are looking hard at Houston (projected as a late 1^st, early 2^nd) and now Smith seems to indicate that they do not see Andy Studebaker as a starter at OLB. More importantly, it could indicate that they have no plans to re-sign aging intangible machine, Mike Vrabel.

If the Chiefs were to pick up a guy like Smith or Houston they could be pretty well set as far as depth at OLB. KC could roll into the 2011 season with Hali, Smith/Houston, Studebaker and Cameron Sheffield. That would give them a nice mix of veteran experience and youth.

What do you think Addicts? Do you think the Chiefs will go OLB with their first round pick? Is that the right move?

We continue taking a look at draft prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs by moving to center Tim Barnes out of Missouri.

In their seven round mock draft for the Chiefs, FanSided.com draft site NFL Mocks had the Chiefs taking Barnes in the 4^rd round. NFL Draft Scout currently projects Barnes as a solid 4^th as well  and rates him as the 3^rd best center in the draft.

Let’s take a look at some scouting information on Barnes.

Barnes is listed as 6-4’ and 300 pounds. He demonstrates a nice mix of quickness and strength and can often get to the second level to take on linebackers. The Chiefs run a zone blocking scheme that relies on athletic offensive lineman to quickly get to defenders and create creases for the backs. KC’s current center, Casey Weigmann, is 6-2, 285 so Barnes would be an upgrade in size but is also probably athletic enough to do what the Chiefs need him to do in the ZBS. In fact, Barnes has such quick feet that teams looking to fill a hole at guard might consider drafting him as well. This versatility is something that we know appeals to the Chiefs as they have said time and time again that they prefer players that can do many things. A guy like Barnes could give them the center they are looking for while also providing some emergency depth at guard.

Here is what NFL Mocks had to say on Barnes:

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Help will be on the way after the Chiefs draft this April but some of the answers to their problems may already be on the roster. Photo Source: Yardbarker.com

Cottam, Belcher, Brown, Long and Studebaker.

Sounds like a law firm doesn’t it?

I believe that Brad Cottam, Javon Belcher, Colin Brown, Lance Long and Andy Studebaker could be 5 key players that contribute to the Chiefs improvement.

With all of our talk about potential free agents and the upcoming draft, we tend to overlook some of the younger players with potential that the Chiefs already have on their roster. I want to take a look at these 5 players and how their continued development could be what turns the team around. These 5 players are all young, unproven and have a lot of potential. Some of them have shown flashes that they might just have what it takes to be a starter. Obviously, in the NFL flashes aren’t enough. All NFL players are talented and athletic but it is those players who can perform at a high level on a consistent basis that are the ones that will be trusted to start. Some players take longer to develop than others. Some have a ceiling and will never get better than they are right now. Some players, however, blossom late and can sometimes blossom big. Pittsburgh’s James Harrison is a perfect example of a player from a small school that was undrafted and showed very little promise early in his career that got his play on track and is now one of the best players at his position in the league.

Do the Chiefs have a potential Pro Bowlers in Cottam, Belcher, Brown, Long and Studebaker? Perhaps not, but the Chiefs don’t need 5 young All-Pros. They need solid, reliable starters to solidify the heart of their roster. Of that foundation, stars will emerge.

Let’s take a quick look at each player and how they might be able to develop into a core player for the new era Chiefs.

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