Chiefs draft: Secondary preview
By Ben Almquist
Karl Joseph – West Virginia
Scout’s View: Karl Joseph best overall DB in draft..versatile,competitive, run support, blitz, tackle, zone pattern recognition, man skills, ball skills. If this kid didn’t get hurt, he would/should be being talked about as one of best defensive players in draft. Could watch his tape all day. Safeties differentiate themselves w/their intelligence (pre/post snap), footwork, play entry angles, and ability to finish. Joseph has it. ~ Louis Riddick (ESPN)
Top Comparison: Antoine Bethea – San Francisco 49ers ~ Staff Scout (NFL.com)
My Take: I hadn’t had an opportunity to really look at Joseph’s tape until I sat down to do this breakdown. I’m kicking myself for putting it off. This kid is just fun to watch. He plays the game the way safeties are meant to play it. I’m talking Greg Wesley type hits with Jerome Woods ball skills. If it hadn’t been for an injury, I think a lot more people would be agreeing with Louis Riddick’s assessment right now. As it is, I could probably be convinced to agree with him myself.
The Chiefs are set with their starting safeties, but Joseph could step into that third safety role immediately and easily move into a primary starting role down the line. He doesn’t have ideal size, but man he can play. Karl Joseph is the kind of player that coaches will say: “I’ll find a spot for him.”
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