Chiefs unsung heroes deserve praise

Practice squad steps up

Quick, can you name what Ramik Wilson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Terrence Mitchell and TJ Barnes all have in common? If you guessed that they all started their tenure of this season with the Chiefs on the practice squad, you would be correct.

Wilson and Nunez-Roches (apparently known as Nacho by his teammates) both former draft picks and both started this season on the practice squad after looking, well, not good in either the preseason or last season or a combination of both. Now, both appear to have found talent they didn’t know they had, and are making an impact.

Wilson, especially now with the loss of Derrick Johnson, will be asked to shore up a run defense that, if we’re being honest, hasn’t been very good in awhile. He showed himself very well in the Chiefs game, making some key stops and, at a very minimum, not looking lost in pass coverage, something we were unable to say last season or this preseason.

‘Nacho’ just may be the most improved player on the team from last season all things considered. A player that at times the past two seasons looked flat lost and just not good enough to be on the roster from when he was drafted in 2015, Nunez-Roches appears to be a player the Chiefs can hope to contribute in their defensive rotation for years to come, and with salary cap concerns along the defensive front upcoming in the seasons to come, his emergence has been a godsend. He is playing inspired, solid football.

Mitchell and Barnes we covered earlier, but their ability to make plays, and at a very minimum hold their own in the rotation has allowed the Chiefs to weather their issues with injuries and maintain a foothold on a top spot in the AFC.

Draft Profile

From this point until we get closer to the draft, I will profile a player, perhaps out of view as a top prospect but someone who could fit the Chiefs. This week, we’ll look at Jaleel Johnson, defensive tackle from Iowa.

Jaleel Johnson, Defensive Tackle, Iowa (6-foot-3 / 310 pounds)

Positives:

Big, physical defensive tackle

Strong at the point of attack

Has lined over both guard and center in college

Displays an ability to push the pocket

Has played against high level competition in big games

When he’s on, very physical and strong along the interior

Is attending the Senior Bowl

Weaknesses:

Limited athleticism

Not overly explosive

Lateral quickness not a strength

In-between weight, could use to add more lower body weight to play the nose

Hand placement/ usage needs to be more consistent

Summary:

Johnson’s draft status varies based on what scout sees what. Johnson flashes more then he consistently performs. Big bodies are in short supply and may get over drafted to that end. Similar body measurements to 2015 second-round pick Chris Jones, but play style very different. Likely needs to add lower body weight/girth to play a true nose position. Johnson, at least in my opinion, is a pure interior defensive lineman that with development could add interior pass rush along with run defense

Likely draft round:

Mid-third to early-fifth round depending on how he does during the draft process.