The 2015 NFL Draft has passed and with minicamps well underway Last Word On Sports is taking a look at the selections from each team. Today’s spotlight is on the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City had an astounding nine selections in the draft. Here’s who they picked:
First round (18th overall): Marcus Peters, cornerback, Washington
Second round (49th overall): Mitch Morse, guard, Missouri
Third round (76th overall): Chris Conley, wide receiver, Georgia
Third round (98th overall): Steven Nelson, cornerback, Oregon State
Fourth round (118th overall): Ramik Wilson, inside linebacker, Georgia
Fifth round (172nd overall): D.J. Alexander, outside linebacker, Oregon State
Fifth round (173rd overall): James O’Shaughnessy, tight end, Illinois State
Sixth round (217th overall): Rakeem Nunez-Roches, defensive tackle, Southern Miss
Seventh round (233rd overall): Da’Ron Brown, wide receiver, Northern Illinois
Kansas City Chiefs 2015 NFL Draft Review
Best Player Selected: Marcus Peters
Peters was arguably the best cornerback in this draft on the field. Teams were leery to select Peters because of his off-the-field issues. Scouts questioned his emotional stability because of his history of coach confrontations that resulted in suspensions and his final dismissal from the Washington Huskies football team.
Peters is a complete corner athletically, and is great in press coverage. He has confidence and toughness and closes on the ball well. Peters is a standout player, but his success as a pro will be determined by his ability to stay even-keeled and control his emotions. Additionally, he is going to need to improve how he takes constructive criticism.
The Head-Scratcher: Ramik Wilson
Wilson started two years at Georgia, becoming an all-SEC selection his first year and earning second team all-SEC honors as a senior. He has great range in the run game but struggles in coverage. Wilson could use more weight on his frame as well, as he sits at just 237 pounds as an inside linebacker. Wilson could get eaten up in the 3-4 scheme and be mauled by the higher quality offensive linemen in the NFL. This pick made a few analysts scratch their heads because of the scheme fit.
The Surprise: Marcus Peters
The Peters selection wasn’t surprising because of his talent, but more surprising because it wasn’t a wide receiver or an offensive lineman, which were two of Kansas City’s more pressing needs. There was a lot of interest in Dorial Green-Beckham before the draft, but the Chiefs ended up passing on the troubled receiver.
The Steal: Chris Conley
Conley is an athletic freak, and had he played for a team that wasn’t so run-heavy like Georgia was (it’s hard not to use Todd Gurley, to be fair), his draft buzz would have been greater. Conley can fly, as he ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the Combine, but he doesn’t just display his speed in shorts. He’s an incredibly smooth runner, and he has decent size and hands. The biggest problem that Conley has is that he doesn’t handle physical coverage well. Conley will have to adjust to the NFL to be successful – he must hit the weights and develop the strength to fight off physical coverage.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Camp: Chris Conley
He makes catches like this. And this. Athleticism is Conley’s game, and he has it in spades. Conley will make catches that will drive fans crazy. He certainly has the ability to turn heads in training camp.
The Rest
Mitch Morse will be an immediate starter, and if he moves to center or plays at guard he provides a big, strong frame in the middle. Most scouts have him projected as a 10-year player.
Steven Nelson was not one of the bigger corners in the draft at just 5’10″, but he is one of the more competitive. He had a solid 40-yard dash time of 4.49 seconds and showed up big in the Senior Bowl. He has some limitations, but he will be put in a minimal role as he develops and he could turn into a solid slot corner.
D.J. Alexander was Nelson’s teammate at Oregon State and he started 32 games for the Beavers. He was an outside linebacker in college, but Kansas City has said that Alexander will be playing inside for the Chiefs. He has outstanding speed and could be a special teams standout.
James O’Shaughnessy, a tight end from an FCS school (Illinois State), has solid athleticism but he isn’t the strongest and he will need time to develop. It’s possible that O’Shaughnessy also sees time on some special teams units.
Rakeem Nunes-Roches is a 6’2” 307-pound defensive tackle from Southern Miss. Nunes-Roches’ strength is his quickness off the ball. He doesn’t have the length or strength to two-gap, but he explodes through holes and is relentless in his pursuit to the ball.
Da’Ron Brown, Kansas City’s seventh-round pick, doesn’t look to be much more than a camp player. He has average size and speed, but he has solid enough hands to keep him on the practice squad at least.
Bottom Line
Kansas City didn’t make any questionable picks, and they addressed some of the needs they had. They picked up multiple corners to help with the depth situation and create turnovers, and they gave Alex Smith an athletic target. Mitch Morse might not transition to center well, but if he does he could really help with the loss of Rodney Hudson. This year was a solid draft by Kansas City that will give them depth at a few key positions.
Final Grade: 7.5/10
Check out our other draft reviews here.
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