Do you trust John Dorsey?

The NFL draft is less than a week away. Front offices throughout the league will be adding the finishing touches to their draft boards and big board rankings, and will have hopes and prayers about particular players falling to them. With the Kansas City Chiefs drafting at No. 28, there are so many permutations and variations, that is difficult to predict who they will select.

While the who is difficult to determine, it is perhaps easier to have an idea of what position the Chiefs will look to add in the first round. It is looking more and more likely that the Chiefs will look to cornerback in the first round to partner with Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters.

While this clearly depends on who is taken before them, in particular the Pittsburgh Steelers at 25 could be a crucial pick to keep an eye on, there are an array of quality cornerbacks that Kansas City could pick.

“The game of football has evolved into a passing game… and I think it is important to have as many defensive backs on your team as you possibly can have.” – John Dorsey

The roster on the whole has a serious need at cornerback. With Marcus Peters being the most proven player at the position, someone who has only had one season in the NFL, it is clear to see the weaknesses that the Chiefs have in this area. Furthermore, not only do the Chiefs have the need, but the position is becoming more and more important in modern day football.

As evidenced by John Dorsey’s quote, he clearly sees the cornerback position as an integral part of the roster, and it is a major reason why I believe he will look to bring in one of the many talented cornerbacks with the Chief’s first pick. Whether Dorsey prefers Eli Applie over William Jackson III or Mackensie Alexander to Xavien Howard, we will not find out til the draft.

There have been many articles about which cornerback is the best, which is a bust, which is a nailed on superstar. Everyone will have their favorites but everyone does not get to decide. It comes down to John Dorsey. So, ultimately, the question then becomes, do you trust Dorsey to draft the right guy?

In the last three drafts, in the first round Dorsey has had mixed success. In his first year with the organization, with the first overall pick in the draft and no viable quarterback worthy of such a pick coming out of college, Dorsey plucked for a franchise left tackle in Eric Fisher. Fisher struggled greatly in his rookie year with the Chiefs, looking devoid of any athleticism, especially against speed rushers.

In his second, he improved slightly, but still did not play to the level expected of a first overall pick. He did, however, have the excuse of having to change position from left tackle to right tackle in his rookie year and then back to left tackle in his sophomore campaign. Whether that is valid reason for such poor performances is another question.

This last year, Fisher finally showed real signs of improvement, especially in the run game where he became a dominant force alongside Jeff Allen on the left hand side of the line. He still cannot be valued as a number one overall pick. However, he is getting better year on year and is beginning to prove his worth to the organization.

Dee Ford, on the other hand, is quickly heading toward being labelled a bust. He was considered a reach by Dorsey when he was drafted, but with the intention of Ford replacing the aging Tamba Hali, the young defensive end turned outside linebacker had high hopes of becoming the next great Kansas City pass rusher. Hali, however, has performed better than expected, and his legs have lasted longer, and Ford hasn’t been able to show enough talent to prove that he can be the long term option.

While Fisher is an indifferent draft choice and Dee Ford is looking like a bust, Marcus Peters is a stone wall home run. The kid is phenomenal. Dorsey made a fantastic selection with Peters with the 18th overall pick of the 2015 and has given many in Chiefs kingdom have pointed towards this pick as an indication that Dorsey has an eye for a cornerback.

Throughout his three years with Kansas City, John Dorsey’s best decisions have been in free agency. He has found some true bargains, players like Tyvon  Branch and Jaye Howard, and has let players go who have gone on to falter. That is excellent management, however, his drafting has been less consistent. Good drafting is how franchises stay at the top for more than a couple of years, and the decisions that John Dorsey will make this week are integral for the future of the Kansas City Chiefs.

So, based on the decisions he has made with the organisation so far, in particular, his drafting, do you trust John Dorsey to draft the right guy, and if it’s a cornerback, do you trust him to weed out the bust and pick Marcus Peters 2.0?