KANSAS
CITY
Len Dawson
Jersey , Mo. ¡ª The Kansas City Chiefs insisted that they fell in love with
Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman and were intent on selecting him with their
first pick in the NFL draft all along.He was one of the fastest players at the
scouting combine. He runs good routes but has room for some polish. He provides
bonus value by being one of the best return men in the entire draft.It was just
coincidence, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said, that his game bears such a
close resemblance to that of Tyreek Hill ¡ª their embattled star wide receiver,
whose future with the franchise is uncertain because of an ugly child-abuse
investigation that could result in his release.¡°You can coach a lot of things,
and our staff does a great job of getting the most out of guys,¡± Veach said,
¡°but at the end of the day, you can either run or you can¡¯t. And he can run.¡±The
Chiefs didn¡¯t select until late in the second round after trading their
first-round pick to Seattle as part of a package for pass rusher Frank Clark.
But they used their three selections on Day 2 to fill some of their biggest
holes, then wrapped up the draft with three more picks on Saturday.The Chiefs
used another second-round selection on Virginia defensive back Juan Thornhill,
who can play a variety of positions in new defensive coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo¡¯s scheme. Their third-round pick went to Khalen
Saunders
Mitch
Morse Jersey , a massive run-stuffing defensive tackle out of Western
Illinois.¡°All three of these guys are really, really good football players,¡±
Veach said. ¡°If you¡¯d told me we¡¯d end up with all three of these players, I
wouldn¡¯t have believed it.¡±As the Chiefs begin plugging additional holes with
undrafted free agents, and turn their attention toward rookie minicamp and the
rest of their offseason program, here is a look at their draft:WHO THEY
GOTHardman was their initial pick but Thornhill may ultimately be the most
valuable selection. The Chiefs signed Tyrann Mathieu in free agency as part of a
massive defensive overhaul, and Thornhill¡¯s ability to play center field should
pair well with his game.¡°I was a little worried about it because I felt I had
the potential to go in the first round,¡± Thornhill said. ¡°I had to wait a little
longer, but I¡¯m just ready to get there and play football.¡±On Saturday, the
Chiefs added South Carolina defensive back Rashad Fenton and Utah State running
back Darwin Thompson in the sixth round. They picked Illinois center Nick
Allegretti in the seventh.SURPRISE MOVEThe trade for Clark was a bit eye-opening
if only because it meant the Chiefs did not have a first-round pick for the
second consecutive year. Of
course
Chris Jones
Jersey , last year¡¯s selection helped them nab quarterback Patrick
Mahomes, who became the league MVP in his first season as a starter.¡°The one
unique thing about Frank,¡± Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, ¡°is that it¡¯s every
play. Every down is an honest down. There is no time off where they are cruising
at all.¡±HOW THEY DIDThe Chiefs were thrown a curveball by the legal trouble that
has quickly engulfed Hill, forcing them to take a wide receiver earlier than
anticipated. They plugged two big holes on their defense, getting particularly
good value with Saunders late in the third round.¡°First of all my favorite color
is red, so I¡¯m just really excited to wear that. I wore red all through high
school,¡± Saunders said with a laugh. ¡°And secondly my hometown is St. Louis, so
this is the best thing I can experience playing in Missouri. I¡¯m from right
across the state.¡±WHAT¡¯S NEXTThe Chiefs have completely revamped their defense,
moving from a 3-4 system to a 4-3
scheme
Tanoh
Kpassagnon Jersey , and they will continue to sift through prospects who
fit what Spagnuolo wants to do. They also could use some depth pieces on
offense, particularly along the offensive line. Chiefs headlines for Monday,
April 8."The latestMarcedes Lewis: ¡®No question¡¯ Travis Kelce is best TE |
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FocusReport: Sean McVay¡¯s Los Angeles Home Burglarized | Sports IllustratedAAF
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ReportIn case you missed it at Arrowhead PrideChiefs draft prospect visit and
workout trackerUnsure of his NFL future, Jamaal Charles makes his case for the
Hall of FamePatrick Mahomes delivered a ¡®turnt¡¯ pregame speech to Texas Tech
before Final Four victory25 Days of Draftmas: James Williams has the
pass-catching ability the Chiefs need at running backFollow Arrowhead Pride on
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