Don’t be surprised if … the Chiefs win it all

Don’t be surprised if … you’re thankful for Eric Kush by Thanksgiving.

Have you ever gone to research a player, and it seems like you just automatically like him? You can’t come up with a long list of reasons why he has your sudden loyalty, he just does.

That describes how I feel about center Eric Kush. At least a little bit.

When Alex Smith was speaking recently about having Kush take over at center, he said:

"“Having Kush here the last couple of years, to be honest, has been very, very seamless obviously. Rodney was a heck of player but he’s moved on. He’s missed but he moved on. To be honest it’s been very, very seamless. I haven’t missed a beat after Kush has stepped in. He knows the offense. He knows what we’re doing. (He’s a) really good communicator up there. He and I already have a very good report together.”"

Many have speculated that second-round pick Mitch Morse would step in and take over at the center position for the Chiefs but it doesn’t look like that’s the plan. At least so far. Of course anything can happen when training camp begins next month, but the fact that Eric Kush has been around the past two years and knows the offense already bodes well for the third-year player out of California University in Pennsylvania.

Eric Kush is exactly the kind of player Andy Reid and John Dorsey look for. A player who has great potential, who develops, who is coachable, then takes over at his position in a couple of years. However, Kush brings a little more to the center position than most. In college he played 32 games at tackle. Coach Reid loves to convert tackles to the interior and we’re about to see if the experiment has worked.

The performances of Kush on his pro day were impressive. He ran a 5.04, 40 time officially, but he also posted a 4.94. By comparison, his 10-yard shuttle time of 4.35 seconds two years ago were only surpassed by one offensive lineman in this year’s draft at 4.33 (Jake Fisher). At 6-foot-4 and weighing 313 pounds, Kush is not only bigger than most centers but more athletic.

When Eric Kush returned from the offseason last year, he’d obviously taken his body to the next level. When Kush returned from this offseason again showing increased size, it shows a dedication and seriousness not every pro player possesses.

We don’t really have a lot to go on to predict the success of Eric Kush, aside from the fact that Andy Reid and John Dorsey believe in him (then again, these are the same men that brought you Mike McGlynn). However, there’s something about the way others look when they are discussing Eric Kush that makes me think he’s a keeper.

At least until his rookie contract runs out.

Next: Surprise on the 53-man roster...