NFL Draft 2015: Marcus Peters is newest addition to Kansas City Chiefs

With the 18th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select…

Marcus Peters – Cornerback – Washignton

The “best player available” mantra is alive and well in Kansas City. In fact, John Dorsey stuck to it much more tightly than I had thought he would. The Chiefs add a talented player who fell on many boards due to his off-field issues. Some scouts even believe that Peters is the best cornerback in the draft. And after a recent meeting with the young man, apparently the Chiefs front office is convinced that the off-the-field issues are a matter of the past.

In the media followup on the pick, coach Andy Reid had this to say about Marcus Peters:

More from Kansas City Chiefs Draft

• KC Chiefs come to terms with five draft picks
• Nic Jones faces double-edged opportunity with Kansas City Chiefs
• Chiefs news: Chamarri Conner signs rookie deal
• KC Chiefs: Felix Anudike-Uzomah had minor thumb surgery
• Nic Jones ready to show he belongs with Kansas City Chiefs

“He’s not a problem off the field. He’s not a problem in the locker room. He’s just got to handle those competitive juices… I think you can probably say he would have been a top-10 draft pick had (that incident) not occurred.”

So what are we getting?

Positives:

While there are some questions about his character, there is no denying the on field talent of Marcus Peters. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Peters shows some of the best ball skills in the entire class: 11 picks and 35 passes defended in 27 starts demonstrates that he understands how to play the ball. Watching him on film, he used the sideline as an extra defender (shades of Brandon Flowers) better than most college prospects I have seen. On top of that, he has good height and a frame that will allow him to put on some muscle to deal with those bigger wide receivers on the outside. He also shows a good natural recognition of what is going on around him. He shows aggression and swagger on the field, which often pays off in press coverage and 50/50 passes. What is great about these traits is that many of them are natural skills that aren’t taught.

Negatives:

Well, you can’t talk about Marcus Peters without bringing up the the choking incident that is responsible for him being available late in the draft. There is also an issue of a failed drug test, and the general census has been that he can be a problem in practices. That means the Chiefs will need to make sure there is a strong hand out there to keep him in line. On the field, Peters doesn’t have many of the measurables that are often looked for.  He lacks the top-end speed to recover if he’s beaten early. That limits him to almost purely a press cover guy.

Live Feed

Horseshoe Heroes

GRADE: B+ 

“I think you can probably say he would have been a top-10 draft pick had (that incident) not occurred” ~ Andy Reid on Marcus Peters

I like Peters as a player, but the personality stuff does give me some pause, especially with a secondary a little lacking in leadership at the moment. Yes, we have Hussain Abdullah, who is a great person, but that’s one guy. There are multiple younger guys in this secondary who can be influenced just as much as they can influence others. And while Sean Smith shows up on the field, his off-the-field actions are suspect at the moment. That means the Chiefs will need to go the extra mile to ensure that Peters keeps his aggression in check.

Ultimately, I think the Chiefs got themselves a starting-caliber outside defender who is going to match up well with the top wide receivers we will be seeing on a regular basis. Marcus Peters isn’t going to be pushed around by larger receivers like Demariyus Thomas. However, there is some question as to how he will handle the quicker receivers in the league.