Why I Trust Scott Pioli with Chiefs First Round Pick
I know there is a ton of debate with the Chiefs and what they should do with their first round draft pick. Some say the Chiefs should draft a pass rusher, other want to sure of up the offensive line for years to come, and don’t forgot about all of the people who have a man crush on Wake LB Aaron Curry.
I am not here to argue these points with you (not this time) because each opinion has a valid argument and we all the know that there is a reason the Chiefs are drafting at #3 overall, and that is because they have lots of needs. So I am here to say that I trust Scott Pioli.
I know that Scott Pioli is not solely responsible for the first round NFL draft success of the New England Patriots but he has been a big part of that success since the 2000 season. Also, while I don’t know this for a fact, Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick have been reported to agree on something like 95% of the players the Pats signed/drafted.
Here are the Patriots first round draft picks since 2000 (didn’t have a 1st round pick in 2000):
| 2008 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 10 | Jerod Mayo | ILB | Tennessee |
| 2007 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 24 | Brandon Meriweather | DB | Miami (Fla.) |
| 2006 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 21 | Laurence Maroney | RB | Minnesota |
| 2005 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 32 | Logan Mankins | G | Fresno State |
| 2004 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 21 | Vince Wilfork | NT | Miami (Fla.) |
| 1 | 32 | Benjamin Watson | TE | Georgia |
| 2003 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 13 | Ty Warren | DE | Texas A&M |
| 2002 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 21 | Daniel Graham | TE | Colorado |
| 2001 - New England Patriots | ||||
| Rd | Sel # | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 6 | Richard Seymour | DT | Georgia |
To me the results of Pioli’s first round draft picks speak for themselves. So on draft day, no matter what happens I will trust that Pioli took the right player for team. You should try to do the same.
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Two Mid/Late Round Prospects
We all know the Chiefs have many holes to fill this off season. Obviously the draft is a great place to set the building blocks of a team, but not everyone can be a 1st round pick. Here are two prospects projected to go in the mid to late rounds of the draft that could potentially help our team going forward:
(Courtesy of National Football Post)
Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn (6-2, 305)
Like many of the draft-eligible prospects at Auburn this year, Green fell victim to the team’s overall lack of performance more than his own effort. His strong interior line play at times was forgotten as the Tigers stumbled to a 5-7 record, and he was considered more of a late-round pick than a potential top-five prospect. After receiving an invitation to the Senior Bowl, however, Green didn’t disappoint. He lacks ideal size for the guard position, but he possesses a dominant punch and consistently jars defenders on contact. He did a great job all week moving defensive linemen off the ball and showcases the lateral mobility to slide in pass protection. He’s been steadily moving up draft boards since his strong performance in Mobile and now ranks among the top-five guards on most boards. Green still needs to add some polish to his game, but he possesses intriguing upside and could hear his name called as early as the third round.
Jovan Belcher, OLB, Maine (6-2, 229)
After Belcher was selected All-Colonial Athletic Association at linebacker as a junior, the Maine coaching staff thought it was in the team’s best interest to move him to defensive end last season. Belcher responded with a 7½ sacks and 17½ tackles for loss, good enough to garner him All-America honors. Then, at the Texas vs. the Nation Bowl, he had a fantastic week showcasing not only the ability to attack downhill but also the fluidity to flip his hips and play in space. He displayed the versatility to play both inside and outside linebacker positions and is becoming an intriguing option for 3-4 defenses. He lacks great size and speed but plays a lot faster than his times and consistently showcases an ability to get after the quarterback. He started the year way off the radar as a possible midweek free-agent signee, but now Belcher looks like a possible late-round pick who, worst-case scenario, will be signed soon after the draft.
So what do you think Chiefs fans? Should we go after Green or Belcher in this draft? Sound off!
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