The longer the offseason goes, the more I am saying to myself about the K.C. Chiefs: I would, I wouldn’t. The longer the thrill of the first week of free agency dies off, the more I say to myself, as if I owned the K.C. Chiefs: I would, I wouldn’t.
For instance… I would like to see the Chiefs sign free agent DB Leon Hall…
… while I wouldn’t be too happy to see them signing DL Greg Hardy.
Also, the owners are taking this league to places it’s never been before with some of their rules changes… so it’s time to figure out… who would and who wouldn’t… agree with some of those changes.
Recently, KCChiefs.com’s own B.J. Kissel published a list of the picks that 19 of the most popular analysts project for the Chiefs first overall pick at #28. You can go here to see that list but what I will do here is give you my take on a few of those possible picks for the Chiefs first pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
I’ll also give you the old… I would, I wouldn’t… about some other issues that are out there… and since they’re out there, someone’s got to set the issues straight. Let’s begin with a few of those analyst’s projections for the Chiefs pick #28.
Prospect: DE Jihad Ward, 6-5, 297, Illinois
Selected by: Mel Kiper, ESPN
I like that Jihad Ward has a non-stop motor and plays to the whistle. He shows a willingness to track ball carriers downfield and knock their heads off. In a game I watched of him vs. Ohio State, he was double team 80% of the time. When the ball carrier did come his way he was able to shed his man and take the running back down. On the negative side, he gets turned sideways too easily and doesn’t keep his hips and pad level low enough to take advantage of the obvious power he could exert with a 6-foot-5 inch frame. Ward is athletic but surprisingly ran a 5.11 40 yard dash at the combine which is slower than the speed he appears to play at. Plus, he only put up 20 reps of 225 lbs. Which seems low for any defensive lineman.
Jihad Ward has position flexibility that Andy Reid likes because he was not only asked to play up and down the defensive line but also played wide receiver in high school. While that may be a strength is may also reflect a weakness as he hasn;t been allowed ot refine one position on the defensive line.
DraftTek Ranks him at #135 overall
CBS Sports Ranks him at #126 overall
My Take: I wouldn’t take him AT PICK #28.
There will not only be other, better defensive line options at that point but, I don’t believe that there is a high likelihood the Chiefs go DL in the first round because a very good one can also be drafted in the second.
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