KC Chiefs 7-round mock draft: Fixing Kansas City’s defense
By Evan Mead
4.102: Darrian Beavers, LB, Cincinnati
Darrian Beavers at pick 102 in one word: steal. Ranked inside the top 100 on most big boards, in this mock draft the Chiefs were able to snag the star linebacker from Cincinnati at No. 102 in the fourth round.
Now is this likely to happen in real life? Doubtful. However, he was there in the mock I did, so I took him without hesitating.
Measurables
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 255 lbs.
Strengths
Darrian Beavers is one of the better linebackers in this draft for a number of reasons and if the Chiefs are able to make this happen, that’d be fantastic.
Beavers has a background in multiple sports that translates to his current game. Having a background not only in football but in basketball and track and field, all this while maintaining a 4.0, speaks a lot about the person and his motivation in life.
Beavers is also a very physical linebacker who plays aggressively in multiple areas on the field. His play style as a linebacker makes him a very noticeable player on the field when the opposition tries to run the football or when the defense brings pressure.
As a linebacker, you are set to man the middle part of the field in most cases as well as make sure that everyone is in the right position. Beavers does a very good job at identifying certain play calls and making the correct adjustments.
He shows great leadership qualities in his ability to make the adjustments mid-play and communicate with the other players on the field. As a rookie, he won’t be the heart and soul of the defense like he was for Cincinnati this past season, but he will still be a great leader and step up any way he can.
Furthermore, he shows signs of being versatile with his ability to play in zone coverage and line up as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
Weaknesses
Darrian Beavers’ athletic background makes him such a high-upside player, but there are still some concerns. Similar to Nick Bolton last season, I have some serious concerns with him in man coverage.
Last season, Bolton was known as a great run stopper but was poor in coverage. The same applies to Beavers this year. When Beavers is asked to try playing man coverage on a receiving tight end or even if he gets lined up in the nickel, well, you might as well just be praying for a miracle. He just doesn’t have the awareness, speed, or instincts that would allow him to become a guy you’d trust in coverage.
It’s also to be noted that while Beavers is on the field, he does have a tendency to over-pursue tackles. When watching some of his film against Alabama, I saw a lot of missed tackles due to over-pursing or taking an angle that he shouldn’t have.
How he Fits with the Kansas City Chiefs
Beavers would be a developmental player in his first year, more than likely learning from Bolton and Gay. With Ben Niemann likely gone, they will need to replace him on the roster and I’d say that he’d fit his role even better than Niemann.