Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida, 3rd (No. 104 overall)
Alex Anzalone is a prospect with the entire package, a player who would have been selected much, much higher — along with the Cunninghams of the draft — if teams were only focused on his size and speed. Unfortunately, Anzalone’s production suffered throughout his career with the gators as one shoulder injury gave way to another and a broken arm ended this last season. There are medical red flags aplenty with Anzalone which should make any buyer beware. It could also mean that a GM taking the risk could grab a serious gem in the draft.
Why this could work:
Derrick Johnson has been the heart and soul of the Chiefs defense for years, given that Johnson is also the team’s all-time leading tackler. Unfortunately he’s also 34-years-old coming off of a torn Achilles tendon. Ramik Wilson was released and re-signed just last season and despite looking sharper in the second half of the season, has a lower ceiling than the Chiefs need in the middle. The team also lost veteran Josh Mauga to injury last year and free agency this spring, meaning the cupboards are essentially bare at inside linebacker.
Adding Anzalone would not only provide some depth and athleticism at the position, but if he could stay healthy, he certainly looks the part of a future three-down linebacker who could eventually supplant DJ in the middle. Having his replacement in house already could also be a great thing in terms of mentorship.
Why this couldn’t work:
The Chiefs need a sure thing in the middle at this point. You don’t finish a sentence by adding another question mark. If the Chiefs just wanted to add something else they could potentially hope for in the heart of the defense, well… they’ve got plenty of those already. There are other linebackers available at this stage late in the third round who might not be quite as athletically gifted as Anzalone but who have none of the medical history. Dorsey might be averse to such an injury risk if he can grab a guy with a clean record.