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Kansas City Chiefs: Post Draft Gut Reactions

By Lyle Graversen

Apr 28, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs number 10 pick Patrick Mahomes II (middle), general manager John Dorsey (left) and head coach Andy Reid (right) pose for a photo during the press conference at Stram Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs number 10 pick Patrick Mahomes II (middle), general manager John Dorsey (left) and head coach Andy Reid (right) pose for a photo during the press conference at Stram Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 22, 2016: Villanova Wildcats defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon (92) during a NCAA Football game between the Albany Great Danes and the Villanova Wildcats at Villanova Field in Villanova, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
October 22, 2016: Villanova Wildcats defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon (92) during a NCAA Football game between the Albany Great Danes and the Villanova Wildcats at Villanova Field in Villanova, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Second Round (59th overall) – Tanoh Kpassagnon – DL – Villanova

I go into every draft telling myself “no matter how much draft research you do the Chiefs are going to draft some guys you know nothing about”. My hope is that those guys are selected towards the end of the draft, not with their second pick. Now, I had at least heard of Kpassagnon, but I had done absolutely zero research on him. Therefore, this gut reaction will be fairly short.

If you do a little digging on Kpassagnon you instantly see that he has the size that NFL teams covet. At 6’7″ and 289 lbs with long 35 5/8 inch arms and massive 10 5/8 inch hands he is literally the type of player that a general manager would design in a lab if they could do such a thing. He performed well at the Senior Bowl after a productive senior year where he tallied 21.5 tackles for loss (11 sacks). The other thing you see in every scouting report is that he is incredibly raw. If the Chiefs can develop his technique and get the most out of his physical gifts he could be a Calais Campbell type impact defender. If not he could be out of the league in a few years.

What surprised me most when I watched a little of his film is that as of right now he looks like an edge rusher on tape. He’s built like a 3-4 defensive end but he does NOT play like it right now. The technique to hold his ground, disengage from blockers and make a play is not there….yet. However, he comes off the edge incredibly fast for a man his size. It’s possible that the Chiefs can get some third down pass rush production out of him early on while they develop his technique inside for a bigger role in the defense down the line.

There were other players on the board that I certainly would have chosen over Kpassagnon, but his upside is undeniable. This is the kind of player that could make you eat your words for bad mouthing his selection. Let’s hope the Chiefs coaching staff can maximize his high upside. If so, this pick could be a home run.

Next up, my second favorite pick of this draft.

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