Kansas City Chiefs: The Inside Linebacker Draft Prospects

Kansas City Chiefs fans, the 2015 NFL Draft is now exactly one month away. That means we have one month to finish looking over the prospects and finding those players that will make up our draft day wish lists. Last week I explained why I thought the Chiefs were likely to look at a cornerback in the first round and then took a closer look at which CBs they might target. I’ve also been a constant supporter of improving the offensive line (La’el Collins continues to be the top player on my “want list” for KC’s first round pick). Since I’ve spent time on both the OL and CB positions I thought today I would focus on another position that most see as a need for KC, the inside linebacker position.

Let me start by saying that in theory, I’m not a huge fan of using a first round pick on an inside LB. Yes, Derrick Johnson has proven just how valuable a star player at that position can be, but I’m a believer that first round picks are best spent on players that have star potential at the following positions: QB, WR, OT, DT, pass rusher, and CB. That’s not to say that RB, TE, interior OL, ILB, and safety aren’t important, I just believe you can find great starters at those positions outside the first round (Jamaal Charles and Travis Kelce are just a couple of examples on the Chiefs roster).

Next, I’ll address what I see as the Chiefs need at the ILB position. The Chiefs actually have two very different LB needs. The first is an ILB to play next to Derrick Johnson in the base 3-4 defense. I do NOT feel that Josh Mauga is suited for this role at all. If Mauga is playing in the base defense I feel he is much better suited for the role DJ plays where he is free to roam to the ball with a minimal amount of having to take on and engage blockers. What the Chiefs need is a LB willing to take on the dirty work and allow DJ to roam free and do his thing. Years back when DJ first started thriving in the 3-4 defense he would go out of his way to rave about the late Jovan Belcher and how his willingness to take on blockers and contain run gaps allowed him the freedom to move. The Chiefs had similar success with Akeem Jordan playing that same role two year ago. Last year that job was left to James Michael Johnson and eventually Joe Mays and we all no how well that turned out. To adequately fill this position the Chiefs need a LB with the size and strength to take on blockers and fill run gap responsibilities.

The second need that KC has is for another LB to play in the sub package next to DJ on passing downs. This actually requires a completely different skill set. To adequately fill this position a LB needs the speed to run with RBs and the increasingly athletic TEs in coverage. Speed isn’t the only prerequisite, this LB actually needs some understanding of passing routes and some actual coverage technique.

Now, is it possible for one LB to fill both these roles? Yes, in theory, one could and if that’s the case that would likely be worthy of a first round draft pick. However, it is this bloggers humble opinion that if a LB is only capable of filling one of those needs I would rather the Chiefs use their first round pick on someone else. The Chiefs can easily get a LB that can only fill one of those roles in other rounds.

Before I get to the LBs that I would consider drafting, I’m first going to eliminate a couple of popular names that I would not consider for KC.

Next: Click Here For ILBs KC Should Pass On