The Kansas City Chiefs surprised some on Thursday night in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, selecting Washington Huskies cornerback Marcus Peters with the 18th-overall pick. While a bevy of NFL experts thought general manager John Dorsey might go for a corner, few tied him to Peters, who was kicked off Washington’s team in November.
Peters has unquestionable talent. He is one of the most physical players you will see at corner, using his 6’0, 197-pound frame to jam and re-route receivers. Watching Peters get up on the line of scrimmage and use his hands is a thing of beauty, and should translate smoothly into the bump-and-run system that defensive coordinator Bob Sutton employs.
Without further rambling by me, let’s look at Marcus Peters in all his glory. Welcome to Kansas City.
Peters breaking down his own film
Peters against Colorado in 2014
Peters at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine
The Marcus Peters ultimate highlight
After watching these videos, I’m further convinced that Peters is a great fit. He reminds me of Antonio Cromartie in the sense of being very aggressive and having a clear swagger. Sometimes, Cromartie gets himself in trouble because he can be overzealous, but he’s a heck of a player.
Horseshoe Heroes
If Peters can harness his energy, this is a home run for Dorsey, Sutton and the Chiefs Kingdom. Across from Sean Smith, Kansas City has two big, physical corners who can handle someone the size of Demaryius Thomas. In a division that includes Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, it is eseencial to shut down the passing game.
After boasting the only secondary in the NFL to not allow 300 passing yards in a contest last year, the Chiefs are adding on. With Peters, the vaunted pass-rush featuring Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and Dontari Poe will have even longer to hunt.