AFC West draft grades

By Lou DiPietro  |   Thursday, April 30, 2009  |  Comments( 5 )

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With the 2009 NFL draft in the books, RealFootball365.com will spend this week analyzing the hauls of all 32 teams and grading them on their weekend moves, one division at a time.

Part 1: AFC East
Part 2: NFC East
Part 3: AFC North
Part 4: NFC North
Part 5: AFC South
Part 6: NFC South

Our penultimate stop is the AFC West, which underachieved terribly given five picks in the top 18.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
DAY 1: With no second-rounder thanks to the Matt Cassel deal, Kansas City needed to make sure it got its man; many thought that was Wake Forest’s Aaron Curry. Instead, however, they took LSU DE Tyson Jackson, who rocketed up draft boards late in the process. Now, there’s no doubt he’s a good player -- he was the best 3-4 end in the draft, and he projects in the Richard Seymour mold -- but he’s not a great pass rusher. This is a team last year that recorded 10 sacks, two of which belonged to the departed Jason Babin, so it needs some serious help there. It’s hard to question Scott Pioli, who built a lot of that New England dynasty (and drafted Seymour); however, because New England never had that high of a pick, is he used to drafting for need instead of drafting on pure talent?

DAY 2: The Chiefs stayed on the D-line in Round 3, going with Purdue DT Alex Magee. He’s a better pass rusher and can play either inside or outside, but he projects best as a tackle and fits well between Jackson and Glenn Dorsey. Fourth-round CB Donald Washington is raw and probably should’ve stayed at Ohio State, but he’s a good cover guy who can contribute down the road. They also picked up a pair of receivers -- speedster Quentin Lawrence, who will give them a vertical threat, and 6-foot-3 Jake O’Connell, a big target who will probably contribute most on special teams.

The Chiefs also had the honor of making the final selection, and their choice for “Mr. Irrelevant” was South Carolina P/K Ryan Succop. Outside of the cool name, Succop can do anything you need a kicker to do, so he will push both Connor Barth and Britton Colquitt in camp.

THE SKINNY: Again, Pioli’s draft track record speaks for itself, but the pick of Jackson could come back to haunt the Chiefs. They also didn’t even address their linebacker situation, nor did they look at a TE to replace Tony Gonzalez. At least they got Cassel for their second-rounder, but for now, this is a disappointment for Pioli. GRADE: C


OAKLAND RAIDERS
DAY 1: They needed a receiver and a DB on Day 1. But Darrius Heyward-Bey at No. 7? Seriously? I know the Raider Nation contingent here on RealFootball365 isn’t too thrilled, and I can sympathize. Heyward-Bey had the best 40 time, but his hands are still iffy and he wasn’t close to the top receiver in the draft. With the more polished Michael Crabtree, the speedy Jeremy Maclin and everyone else still available, this might have been a reach. The Raiders stayed on the “speed and athleticism” kick with second-round safety Michael Mitchell, whom many projected as a fourth- or fifth-rounder. They took him at No. 47. Maybe the selections of Patrick Chung, Louis Delmas and Alphonso Smith freaked them out, but Darius Butler was still on the board, as were a few more productive safeties. Mitchell is a decent player, but the Raiders probably could have gotten him two rounds later.

DAY 2: The Raiders got their best pick here in fourth-round WR Louis Murphy. In a Florida offense built around Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, Murphy still racked up 77 catches last year and won two national titles. He also (of course) runs a sub-4.4 40, so he fits the track team mold Al Davis is building.

Their other picks were a trio of DE/LB types -- Matt Shaughnessy, Slade Norris and Stryker Sulak -- and Iowa TE Brandon Myers. Shaughnessy is big and strong, and that’s about it. He’s also been injury prone, so he’s not quite as explosive as he should be. Norris is a speedster who moved from linebacker to end as a senior and recorded nine sacks; he’d be a best in a 3-4 scheme. The same applies for Sulak. He was a speedy sack machine who isn’t big enough to be an every-down 4-3 lineman, but he would be a nasty OLB in a 3-4. The best part of my last three sentences? The Raiders play a base 4-3 most of the time.

Myers is a bulky blocking TE who will help the running game and be a potential red-zone threat; while they already have Zach Miller to catch the ball, keep in mind that nearly a quarter of Myers‘ receptions last year (five out of 21) went for touchdowns.

THE SKINNY: A lot of questionable picks. They’re good players; it's just that many of them were either taken too high or don’t seem to fit an actual defensive scheme outside of “let’s be fast.” Murphy should prove to be good, Heyward-Bey will be eventually, and nobody knows with Mitchell. They also didn’t address the O-line, which needed depth help. A shame, because the Raiders really played well down the stretch in 2008. GRADE: D-plus


DENVER BRONCOS
DAY 1: So they had two first-rounders thanks to the Jay Cutler trade, taking Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno (No. 12) and Tennessee DE Robert Ayers (No. 18). The good news: Moreno is a versatile back with good hands who fits well with Josh McDaniels’ offensive scheme, and Ayers is a 3-4 hybrid who can play the run well and is a decent pass rusher. The bad: For Moreno, it’s that the Broncos already had six running backs on their roster -- three signed earlier this offseason -- and chances are he would have been there at No. 18 anyway. For Ayers, well, 18 might have been a little high, and for a team whose biggest defensive need was inside backers for its new 3-4, passing on Brian Cushing to go Moreno/Ayers is a little risky given that the Broncos just signed Andra Davis to play the position Ayers will.

To top it off, they made two bizarre Saturday trades. First, the Broncos traded next year’s first-rounder to move into the second-round for Wake Forest CB Alphonso Smith. He’s good, but his size makes him a nickel corner at best, which certainly isn’t worth a first-rounder. Then, after selecting S Darcel McBath -- a rangy former corner who will give the Broncos a quality deep middle man -- they sent a pair of threes to Pittsburgh for a two and a four, and selected North Carolina TE Richard Quinn. I know Tony Scheffler is on the block, but to trade up for a mostly blocking TE when much more polished tight ends (and some better tackles) were still available is baffling, especially in Round 2.

DAY 2: Much better, as at least they got some good value. Their initial pick, DB David Bruton, is a good “centerfielder” type who can play the run. On the offensive line, Iowa OG Seth Olsen is a strong banger who can challenge for playing time right away, while TCU C Blake Schlueter is a quick, agile interior guy. WR Kenny McKinley is a speedy slot guy who can eventually take over Brandon Stokley’s spot, and they got a big, mobile, strong-armed quarterback to develop in Fresno State’s Tom Brandstater. Decent value on all five picks, with two guys who can contribute right away.

THE SKINNY: They got good players up and down the board; that’s not questionable. What is questionable is taking no interior linebackers, trading away a future one for a nickel corner early in the second and then reaching for a blocking TE later that round. Between this and Pioli, it’s almost worth questioning whether Bill Belichick has moved on from “Spygate” and is instead sending his minions to destroy the AFC one team at a time. . . and I’m only half-kidding on that. GRADE: C-minus


SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
DAY 1: I can’t say anything bad about Larry English’s talent -- he’s a ferocious pass rusher who will be a very good player. But taking him at No. 16? For one, some teams had a second-round grade on him, so it can be seen as a reach. Second, while this serves as a wake-up call to Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips and/or serves as insurance for another Merriman injury -- they still do other front seven talent. And third, with other pressing needs and a lot of good players available, it seems risky. Unless English has a monster season or Phillips or Merriman walk away within a year or two, this might come back to be a misused selection very quickly.

DAY 2: San Diego’s first three Sunday picks all look solid. OG Louis Vasquez is monstrous, very tough, and can move people off the ball; he could be a starter within the year. Western Ontario's Vaughn Martin flew under the radar because of his college choice, but he was originally committed to Michigan State. Still, he’s a five-technique DT who runs a sub-5.0 40 and benched 44 reps, so he has the bulk and strength to play NT in their 3-4 but can also be a pass rusher when needed. Finally, Auburn OL Tyronne Green is a former D-lineman who needs a little work, but he can eventually make a capable guard.

Their four later selections, however, are all of the hit-or-miss variety. Colorado State RB Gartrell Johnson is a strong inside runner, but he's more of a situational back; with LaDainian Tomlinson’s durability in question and Darren Sproles only franchised, the Bolts may have wanted to look at more of a complete back. Oregon State CB Brandon Hughes and USC S Keith Ellison are both physical, aggressive defensive backs, but Hughes is more of a nickel guy and Ellison is an injury-prone tweener whose best asset is his work ethic. As for their last selection, LSU WR Demetrius Byrd, a car accident shortly before the draft hurt his stock; he could’ve been a fifth- or maybe a fourth-rounder, but San Diego got him in the seventh. He can be a solid contributor, but won’t be ready until 2010.

THE SKINNY: They got some good players, but unless English becomes an impact player right away -- either due to injury or ineffectiveness ahead of him -- that’s going to be looked back on as a reach. Their day two haul will provide depth, but they may not get much out of this draft. GRADE: C

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About Lou DiPietro

Lou DiPietro is an accomplished freelance writer who is fascinated with all things sports. In addition to his duties at RealFootball365.com, Lou contributes to TheBleacherReport.com and Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, and has been featured on "The Sports Buffet with Matt West" on 1080-AM ESPN ...
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