Kansas City Chiefs: The Inside Linebacker Draft Prospects

Nov 1, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Shaq Thompson (7) escapes the tackle of Colorado Buffaloes linebacker John Walker (12) in the second quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The ILBs That Kansas City Should Pass On

Shaq Thompson – Washington – 6’0″ 228 lbs

Shaq Thompson is a very talented football player. If you aren’t familiar with him the short version is that he was a two way star at Washington where he played both LB and RB. Some scouts have speculated that his best position in the NFL may actually be safety, but thus far Thompson has said he is 100% committed to playing LB at the NFL level. While he is gifted I just don’t see him as a good fit for KC. He is a horrible fit for playing LB in KC’s base 3-4 and while he could definitely be utilized in the sub package I see his role there essentially being what Eric Berry’s had been in the past. The Chiefs have already signed Tyvon Branch to fill that void this season and if Berry eventually returns to the Chiefs there would be no need for Thompson.

Paul Dawson – TCU – 6’0″ 235 lbs

There are a lot of scouts out there that really like Paul Dawson. I’ll be honest, I don’t….at least not as a fit for what the Chiefs need. A lot has been made out of how poorly Dawson tested at the combine. While that’s not encouraging, my dislike for him in KC goes beyond that. While Dawson has great instincts in run defense his size and lack of effectiveness taking on blockers make him a much better fit for DJ’s role in the 3-4 than the open spot next to him. Plus, Dawson only has average coverage skills and when that is combined with the poor timed speed and agility shown at the combine it makes him a less than desirable coverage LB in the sub package. I would see Dawson as a developmental project to groom behind DJ. While he might be great in time I think there are better options available that could help KC right now and may be less likely to bust all together in the long run.

Denzel Perryman – Miami – 5’11” 236 lbs

Of the three LBs on this “non target” list, Denzel Perryman is the one that I like the most. In my opinion, he is a slightly more athletic version of Dawson, but my overall evaluation remains similar. I think he would be a nice developmental guy to replace DJ, but I don’t like his physical stature to take on blockers to free up DJ right now and like Dawson he’s just average in coverage. If Perryman fell to KC in the second round I would be fine with that pick, but I wouldn’t touch him in the first round and wouldn’t trade up to get him in the early second, which is where I think he will go.

So now that we’ve discussed who I don’t think they should draft let’s look at a couple of guys that I would be happy with.

Next: Click Here For ILBs That Might Be Worth Taking