2018 NFL Draft: The good, the bad and the curious for the Kansas City Chiefs

THE BAD: BREELAND SPEAKS

Breeland Speaks: Breeland Speaks was a consistently inconsistent defensive lineman at Ole Miss after middling production for his first two season playing for the Rebels, yet the Chiefs apparently were hell bent on drafting him. His athleticism was nothing exceptional as a defensive end, so it makes sense the Chiefs would select the 283 pound player and indicate an intention to move him outside. What?!

Speaks was initially pegged as an early third day pick with some helium moving up as a defensive end. His measurables certainly don’t indicate he’ll be a force as a pass rusher, but the Chiefs have, the past two seasons, spent draft picks on players with the intent of putting them into an uncomfortable position. This is a guy that was, in general, not worth the 54th overall selection, but to trade up for him begs a lot of questions.

A year after using a second round pick on a defensive lineman and decided to shift him to the outside in Kpassagnon, it certainly appears the Chiefs love themselves some oversized defensive ends in hopes of turning them into outside linebackers. Perhaps if the Chiefs deployed a more traditional 43 style defense, this pick would make sense. Speaks could play DE in a rotational setup and also provide depth as a pass situation tackle.

Let’s use numbers and data to show the absurdity of this. We will compare Speaks athletic testing numbers with another Chiefs player as he was coming out of college as well as Tamba Hali, whom the organization named as their comparison to Speaks. Overall athleticism is vital when moving players into space required of OLBs.

Breeland Speaks (6’3, 283 lbs.)

• 33 (3/4)” arms
• 32.5″ vertical
• 110″ broad jump
• 4.87 seconds – 40-yard dash
• 7.63 seconds – 3-cone drill
• 4.65 seconds – short shuttle

Tamba Hali (6’3, 275)

• 30″ vertical
• 106″ broad jump
• 4.87 seconds – 40 yard dash
• 7.28 seconds – 3-cone drill
• 4.31 seconds – short shuttle

Player X (6’3, 285)

• 34″ arms
• 36.5″ vertical leap
• 117″ broad jump
• 4.77 seconds – 40 yard dash
• 7.43 seconds – 3 cone
• 4.56 seconds – short shuttle

The important numbers when considering Speaks at DE/OLB:

3-cone drill: Measures ability to bend, change directions and accelerate. Vital as an outside linebacker must get around the edge. Five year average for OLB’s at combine is 7.14. Five year average for defensive end is 7.25. Speaks displays serious below average ability to change direction.

Short shuttle:Measures ability to maintain body control while they react, change direction and accelerate. Important to find the ball and attack. Five year average for OLB’s is 4.32. Five year average for DE’s are 4.44. Speaks displays well below average ability to change direction

Broad jump: Balance and power are important when trying to help set the edge against the run, especially along the defensive line. Five year average for DE’s is 115″. Speaks displays below (but close to) average numbers.

Vertical leap: This helps to judge a players ability to create explosiveness and force from the lower body. Obviously important (with the broad jump) in stopping the run/holding the edge on the line. Five year average for DE’s is 33.2. Speaks shows average numbers.

Player X, if you don’t already know, is veteran defensive end Allen Bailey. Ask yourself if you like the idea of Allen Bailey playing outside linebacker. If you don’t like that idea, you won’t like Speaks at outside linebacker.

The idea of a ‘big edge’ isn’t a terrible idea; it’s just that a better prospect (Rasheem Green of USC) was a better prospect on the board when the Chiefs picked (who would not have required a trade up). If Speaks moves back to defensive end to replace Bailey after this season, then the view of this pick is very different.