Bold Roster/Depth Chart Predictions

Every offseason, there are unexpected moves and impressive practice performances that shake up a team's roster and depth chart. It's tough for anyone outside of the organization to know who's playing well and who's not with these closed OTA practices, so predictions are kind of pointless...

But screw it! Bold Roster/Depth Chart Predictions!

Carlos Hyde will not make the 53 man roster

The former 1st round pick was signed earlier this offseason to a one year contract and was initially looked at as a nice complement to Damien Williams. He could have a career renaissance in KC after being through 3 teams in a short period of time. I was on board then, but after Veach drafted Darwin Thompson and signed James Williams as a UDFA, I no longer see Hyde earning playing time. I believe Darwin Thompson will play well enough to earn secondary snaps to Damien, and James Williams can absolutely be a pass down back and give you good ability to catch out of the backfield. Also,  it was reported that Darrel Williams got the 1st team reps at OTAs when Damien missed a practice for personal reasons. All that leads me to not seeing where Hyde fits in this RB room, and he may be cut earlier than the final roster cutdown in late August.

Byron Pringle will give Demarcus Robinson a run for WR2/3

We still don't have any information on Tyreek's elgibility for this season, so I will analyze as if he is not on the roster. Demarcus Robinson has been the presumed 2nd outside WR besides Sammy with Mecole Hardman playing more of a slot/gadget role initially. Demarcus made impressive plays last year, and has been catching passes from Mahomes since they were both backups looking to make plays in preseason games. He also has a reputation for freelancing routes or not running to the right spot, which can work with Mahomes' backyard ball style but can also be frustrating for an offensive playcaller. Pringle was a UDFA last year out of K-State and Butler CC. He performed well at training camp last year, and showed out in the 4th preseason game before suffering a hernia injury that would keep him off the field for the rest of 2018. There is a lot of buzz about him so far this offseason. Chiefs WR Coach Greg Lewis pointed out Pringle's performance last week at his media session by complimenting his speed, physicaility, and ability to go get the ball in the air. Special Teams Coach Dave Toub had good things to say as well, "We were really high on him last year, he's really looking good right now. He's like took it to another level. We're really excited the way he looks right now." I believe Pringle will not only make the roster, but will make the Chiefs think hard about resigning Robinson after this upcoming season.

John Lovett will become a fan favorite and earn a roster spot

Lovett played QB at Princeton, where he had 62 total TDs his last two seasons and played all over the offensive formation, throwing, catching, and running in scores. At 6'2" 234, he ran an impressive 4.56 second 40 yard dash and maybe an even more impressive number in his 3 cone drill, 6.94 seconds. The Chiefs have brought him in as a TE and he has been able to take plenty of reps in OTAs with both Travis Kelce and Deon Yelder missing practices. He has been compared to Trey Burton by Chiefs executives, and TE Coach Tom Melvin said his versatility gives him a good perspective of the Chiefs offensive system. A few media members have pointed out some tough catches he's made in OTAs too. I think the Chiefs have found a potential TE2 down the road, and maybe they try to stash him on the practice squad, but I believe he'll be at least the TE3 and a specials team contributor this season. Plus, check out his hair:

Xavier Williams and Daniel Sorensen will not make the 53 man roster

The Chiefs have completely overhauled their defense this offseason, but I don't think they're done getting rid of some of the last defensive regime's players. Xavier Williams is officially lost in the shuffle now that Derrick Nnadi has shown good play on the interior, and the move to a 4-3 won't help either. I think Speaks will be used more on the inside this year, which makes Xavier an easy cut candidate, especially with a dead cap hit of $875,000. Daniel Sorensen is overdue at this point. He gets credit for being a "good blitzer", which is an important skill for a 3rd/4th safety, but players like Jordan Lucas and Armani Watts should be able to give enough in that department while also being superior in coverage and as a deep safety. The $3.75 million we'd save against the cap this year should make this decision a no-brainer.

Training Camp is a little under 2 months away! A lot can change between now and then, but I'll check back up on these predictions and see how wrong I was in September! 

Early Fantasy Football Positional Rankings

Waaaaaaaaay Too Early Fantasy Rankings. It's hard to feel good about anything until after training camp and seeing some preseason action, but as of right now, here are my 2019 positional rankings for a redraft league with a PPR scoring format. 

QBs

RBs

WRs

TEs

Directly comparing the 2020 + 2014 WR Draft Classes

The 2019 Draft is long gone, and it's time to look forward to the NFL season right?

Wrong. 

I still have draft fever, and it's fueled by the amazing potential of this upcoming 2020 WR class. The more you watch the talent, the more you get a deja vu feeling. 5 years ago, there was what is widely regarded as one of the best WR draft classes ever. The 2014 Draft produced 12 pro bowls and some of the biggest stars in the game today. This fun piece will try to match each of the studs in next year's draft to one of the 2014 class prospects stylistically. Some make a lot more sense then others, but it's all in fun and a cool way to introduce the upcoming crop. I'll start with the best of the group.

Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy // Odell Beckham Jr. 

This comp has already been made by Matt Miller on the Stick to Football podcast, but it's because it's easy to see. Jeudy's combination of deep threat speed, stop on a dime quickness, and great route running technique make him nearly impossible to lock up man to man. He's elusive and slippery in the open field, using his instincts to make it as tough as possible for the D to get a clean grasp on him. He also has shown good concentration on tough deep pass contested man to man reps , sifting through the mess to come up with a catch. I haven't seen enough of his hands to compare that aspect of his game to Odell, but overall, they are both the dynamic playmakers you use high draft capital to go get. Jeudy will probably be a top 10-15 pick next year, just like Odell was.

Colorado WR Laviska Shenault Jr. // Sammy Watkins

I promise this comparison isn't just because they both had dreads in college. Laviska is a very dynamic offensive weapon. Colorado puts him everywhere from outside WR to an H back type, he even had some wildcat snaps. He isn't utilized this way because he's a "gadget" player, it's because he's a super impressive athlete. He has average height, but he has a thicker frame without sacrificing speed and agility. The strength with which he runs makes it hard to bring him down, a similar trait to Watkins. That strength combined with his ability to make a play on the ball on deep throws make him an exciting NFL prospect and one of college's best WRs in 2019. I doubt Shenault goes top 5 in the draft like Sammy did, but he should be a coveted talent. 

Texas WR Collin Johnson // Mike Evans

I may have stretched to make this matchup just for the sake of the piece, but their physical profiles check out. Johnson is a very tall, well built outside WR that doesn't lack short area quickness and burst for his size. He showed good speed off the line as well, and flashes of strong hands and contested catch ability. While Johnson may not have the freak athleticism that Evans showed as a prospect, he does show the same knack to go up and get a tough catch on the sideline or in just any tough situation. Johnson is a player that can have his stock rise with continued improvement in his athleticism and route running. He could end up one of the top players taken, just like Mike. 

TCU WR Jalen Reagor // Brandin Cooks

Jalen and Brandin aren't actually similar players stylistically, but they share two traits: their short stature and their blazing speed. In the short amount that I have seen of the TCU wideout, his gamebreaking speed pops out. He is shifty in open field, he runs like a return man when he has space. While Cooks is more of a deep threat burner and a more technical receiver, Reagor is a flashy playmaker that can leave you in the dust but also jump with you and take the ball. The comparison is solely for the sake of the piece.

Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb // Jarvis Landry

These two compare well because of their quick feet and short area quickness, while also lacking great straight away speed. CeeDee was overshadowed by Hollywood Brown last year, but some think he may be an even better overall WR. He's quick off the ball and hard to get a good press on, very slippery. He understands how to shift gears at the right times in his routes, and he has shown good plays of backshoulder timing and toe taps on the sideline. Replicating Jarvis' hands is obviously impossible, but Lamb has made some tough catches. CeeDee will explode onto the scene as the WR1 in that dynamic Oklahoma offense, and he'll surely be in the mix for that top shelf of receiving prospects in next year's class.

Clemson WR Tee Higgins // Allen Robinson

Tee has a lengthier and thinner frame than Robinson, but they both run crisp routes, have quick feet in breaks, and don't get pushed around. Higgins also has some burner speed, and can manufacture some yards after the catch with it. He shows good strength getting through press man and not letting it take him off his route. His jumpball ability is stronger than Robinson's because of his height and length, but neither of them are slackers in that department. Higgins has a good a chance as any of these prospects to become the top dog, and with him having possibly the best QB too, he may have the best opportunity to shine.

Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones // Davante Adams

This is me stretching for a comparison, but Donovan Peoples-Jones has that good balance of size and athleticism at 6'2" that makes the match. The Michigan WR runs routes clean while also being able to be physical and grab a contested target. He has sneaky size because he doesn't look as big or strong as he plays. He's shown reliable hands, and an ability to shake off physical man coverage and continue on routes. Adams shows these same traits, and Donovan could have similar a career path and stardom if he's paired up with a great QB like Davante was.

Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III // Paul Richardson

This last comparison was a late addition, but after watching some of Ruggs, I had to fit him in here somehow. He looks springy, and can go up and get a jumpball in fashion. He has highlight reel one handed grabs and tough TD catches, while only standing at 6"0" and 185 pounds. He looks like an exciting playmaker, and along with Jeudy, Alabama may have two of the top WRs in next year's class on their team. The comparison to Richardson was almost too easy with the impossible grabs they both have on tape. 

The hype is real with the 2020 WR class. There will be plenty to choose from and be excited about. With the Tyreek situation up in the air and Sammy's contract coming up, it wouldn't be crazy to think one of these guys could be a Chief in a year. 

Chiefs Draft Recap

The 2019 Draft has come to a conclusion, and by now we've had enough time to see how the national and local media has reacted to the Chiefs draft class. I will be doing an in-depth piece on every draft pick as the summer moves along, but here are my initial thoughts and observations on everyone KC drafted, plus some UDFAs I think could make the 53 man roster.

2nd round picks: 

WR Mecole Hardman - Georgia

Hardman may have been a surprise pick to most Chiefs fans, but it has since been confirmed that Veach traded up because he knew teams like the Jets, Eagles and Cowboys were considering the same move. If you've been following all the latest Chiefs news, you'd understand why he was picked. The team is probably moving on from Tyreek Hill, and Mecole Hardman could be considered the closest thing to replicating Hill's abilities in this draft. He ran a 4.33 second 40 yard dash at the combine, but apparently was upset with that result because he claims he has been clocked as low as 4.24 seconds before. This speed pops out on the field. He was underutilized in Georgia's pro style, run heavy offense, but when they did get him the ball, he flashed with exciting breakaway speed. Mecole scored 13 touchdowns in the past 2 seasons, but did that on only 73 offensive touches. He was also Georgia's returner, and in 2018 was named to ESPN.com's 1st team All-America as a Kick Returner. He has a background as a CB, and it showed in his play. The Draft Network's WR analyst Brad Kelly wrote an article (link here) on Hardman on March 28th, and one of the more interesting parts of the article spoke to Mecole's ability to read and process coverages. It makes sense that a former defensive back would be able to understand what the defenders covering him are thinking. I was surprised with the pick at first, but the more I see Hardman play, the more I think he will be well worth the 2nd round value he was picked at. 

S Juan Thornhill - Virginia

Juan Thornhill was a name that could've been called in the top 32 and it wouldn't have surprised many. Veach claims they had a high 2nd round grade on him, and so to draft him 20-30 spots lower than you value him is a big win. His most notable attribute is his freak athleticism. Thornhill's wingspan is a few inches longer than what his height would suggest, and it's really noticeable on the field. He also ran a 4.42 second 40, and his 44" vertical was the best recorded at this year's combine. He also was a pretty good basketball player in high school. Thornhill moved to safety his last year in college, but before that he was a CB. This transition brought his ball hawking skills at CB to the S position where his range and athleticism can be utilized more. He was elected as a 1st team All-ACC Defensive Back by the Associated Press, and was an honorable mentioned All-American for College Football News in 2018.  Ryan Tracy, host of the Locked On Chiefs Podcast, made a fun and impressive comparison between Thornhill and another young talented Chiefs DB. Marcus Peters came out of Washington with 11 INTs and 16 PBUs, but Thornhill finished with 13 INTs and 26 PBUs! Both in 3 seasons. This is even more impressive when you consider that Thornhill played S for one of those years, while Peters played CB all 3 years, the spot that would allow for the most opportunities for INTs and PBUs. It sounds like Veach wants to slot Thornhill in at the deep safety, where he'll be facing Armani Watts as his toughest competition, but if all goes well, Juan should be starting in the Chiefs secondary come September.

3rd round pick:

IDL Khalen Saunders - Western Illinois

Khalen was the one of two guys from the Chiefs draft class I evaluated previously (him and Thornhill), and I liked him so much I declared him one of "my guys" heading into the draft, along with 6 other prospects. You could imagine my excitement when we made the pick. Saunders is just fun. The 6'0" 324 pound interior defensive lineman went to an FCS school, but played with so much explosion and athleticism that is was hard not to be impressed. He's a very gifted athlete, and has displayed it on the field his entire football career. The St. Louis native played as an offensive ball carrier in high school, where he was a significant enough contributor to be named with All-State honors as an "offensive weapon." He actually scored 2 TDs in college on the offensive side of the ball. If all that wasn't enough to convince you on his athleticism, he considers tumbling a hobby and does backflips for fun. All that is fun, but it doesn't make you a good football player. Saunders just happens to a be a good football player as well. He played snaps at every position among the DL, from a 1 tech all the way out to a wide 9 tech in a 2 point stance. He doesn't have as much of an anchor as you'd like from someone on the interior, he can get pushed off the line, but he makes up for it with a high motor and good hand technique. He has strength, but he is absolutely more of a finesse player than a powerful player. He should be an immediate contributor in the interior defensive line rotation and should give the Chiefs another pass rush threat from the middle along with Chris Jones. 

6th round picks:

CB Rashad Fenton - South Carolina

Arguably the biggest need for the Chiefs coming into the draft was CB, and they didn't care to address it until the 201st overall pick. That being said, Fenton was valued as a good pick anytime past the 5th round, so the value matched the need. There wasn't much excitement when his name was called, but Fenton has been talked up as an aggressive, physical CB that played in the SEC, the closest he could come to NFL competition at the college level. His 5'11" 193 pound physique gives him a good balance of athleticism and size, although his athleticism lacks more than you'd want. Rashad may be the least exciting pick in the entire draft, but he can change all of our minds with a good offseason, and hopefully he can serve a role on special teams or even the secondary. 

RB Darwin Thompson - Utah State

As time has passed since the draft, Thompson has increasingly become one of the hottest names out of this Chiefs draft class. Darwin is from Oklahoma, where he had no Division 1 offers and had to settle for enrolling at a junior college, and even had to redshirt his first year! After 3 years at , he was given an opportunity at Utah State, and he didn't disappoint. His short stature should not be mistaken for lack of strength. He is 5'8" 200+ pounds, and may not have a bad pound on his entire frame. His former coaches rave about his work ethic in the weight room, and his high school coach even went as far to say that he could be an Olympic body builder. While being strong is a prerequisite to playing in the NFL, it isn't the end all be all. The good news is, Darwin is a heck of a football player as well. His play style is reminiscent of a Darren Sproles or a Tarik Cohen. He doesn't have great straight ahead speed, but his short area change of direction never allows for defenders to get a clean hit on him, and he doesn't go down easily. He has impressive contact balance, a trait that Chiefs fans have grown used to seeing performed at an elite level by Kareem Hunt. With the way the RB position stacks up at this point, there's no reason to downplay the potential impact of Thompson. No one is guaranteed a spot, not even Damien Williams or Carlos Hyde. It will be a full on competition for reps at RB, and don't be surprised if Darwin becomes a key part of the 2019 offense. 

7th round pick:

IOL Nick Allegretti - Illinois

Usually a 7th round pick doesn't garner much discussion, but when it comes to interior OL, the Chiefs have made a living finding production this late in the draft. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, one of the highest paid OGs in the league and the Chiefs starting RG, was a 6th round pick originally. Austin Reiter was originally a 7th round pick, and earned a contract extension last year for his play while Mitch Morse was hurt. They've gotten production out of UDFAs like Andrew Wylie. All that to make the point that Allegretti should be taken more serious than the usual NFL 7th round pick, and has been so far by the Kansas City media. He is already being discussed as a legitimate contender for the starting Center spot, along with Austin Reiter. He played RG at Illinois, and has been described as a dominant run blocker. He was a team captain his last 2 seasons, and earned All-Big 10 2nd team honors, per PFF, both seasons. PFF also rated him as the #3 overall grade for OGs in the entire country in 2018. Maybe the most important statistic from his college years is that he ended his career with 36 consecutive starts, every game from 2016-2018. Watch out for Allegretti to become a key part to the Chiefs' interior offensive line rotation. 

Notable UDFAs:

RB James Williams - Washington State

James "Boobie" Williams will be a very intriguing player to follow this offseason. He played at pass heavy Washington State, where he rarely ran the ball, but caught 83 balls his last year there. He was projected to be drafted by most of the draft people I follow, and was well liked by some for the "James White on the Patriots" type of role, a mostly exclusive pass catching RB. We'll see more in training camp, but if he can be competent with pass blocking, he could force KC to part ways with Carlos Hyde to make room. 

CB Mark Fields - Clemson

With the Chiefs needing CB, this pick up was GREAT value for the risk and reward. Fields is a very talented CB that didn't jive well with the Clemson coaching staff, they reportedly were not shy about their feelings on his work ethic and attitude. Matt Miller, on his B/R podcast Stick to Football, observed a practice there last year and came away with the thought that Fields may be the best CB there (his teammate Trayvon Mullen went in the 3rd round). I'm excited to see if Fields' effort issues can be corrected inside our locker room, and if so, the Chiefs may have a 2nd consecutive year of finding a UDFA CB that will produce as a rookie, similar to Charvarius Ward last year. 

WR Cody Thompson - Toledo & WR Jamal Custis - Syracuse

I noted both of these UDFA WRs because it's entirely possible we keep more than 1 from the batch this year. With the Tyreek situation up in the air, they should use more chances at finding WR depth. Thompson has been regarded by some as the most talented NFL UDFA WR, and could be a special teams contributor as well; he had 3 blocked punts last year, including one he caught as he blocked and returned it for a TD. I don't know as much about Custis, but the Chiefs gave him a $100,000 guarantee, which is the most any team has paid for a UDFA the last 2 seasons according to Adam Schefter. 

Brett Veach seemed to draft for the future last season, but I interpret this draft as more of an immediate impact type of class. Hardman may be more of a long term project to turn into a legitimate NFL WR, but he will immediately contribute with help from Andy Reid's creativity. Thornhill is my bet to be the starting FS by Week 1. Saunders will give immediate pass rush potential from the interior rotation. Darwin can be a situational playmaker. Allegretti has the potential to be the starting C. If the Chiefs want to win the Super Bowl this year, they'll need help from this class right away. 

2019 NFL Predictive Mock Draft

Finally, Draft day is here. The process leading up to it always feels way too long, but once it gets here, it's all worth it. It's always fun to try and guess what each team will do with their first round picks. I'm not going to pretend like I have any insight or actual knowledge of why each team would take who they do, but based on what trusted NFL insiders say, the understanding of each team's needs, and which prospects each team has shown interest in, I tried to mock the first round of the NFL Draft. Let's see how close I can get (predictive trades included). 

Analysis

- Arizona going elsewhere at #1. I don't think the front office there has much clue what they're doing, and was hinting at Kyler Murray all offseason to get teams to try and trade up there for him. Their bluff finally comes to an end, and they take debatably the best player in the draft in Quinnen Williams. 

- The run of QBs in picks 3-6. The last minute report is that Washington is interested in a QB and wants to go get him, and Haskins could be the guy. If they make this trade, the rest of the teams interested in QB will panic and go get their guy, causing a quick run at the top for all 4 of the top QBs. 

- The Jets traded back to 15 in this mock, but then went up to 12 to get a falling Josh Allen. If this is how it works out for New York, it would be an all-time draft day team win, considering they might've taken Josh Allen at 3 if they didn't move.

- Montez Sweat's heart condition was cleared and shouldn't be a worry, but don't put it past NFL teams to shy away from risking their first pick in the draft on someone with any medical issues. New York already got their QB, so they take the risk, even if it's not as risky as it sounds. 

- Jawaan Taylor should probably go higher, but the way the draft falls, sometimes top players don't go where there value should probably put them. He ends up in a great situation for his skill set in Carolina. 

- The Patriots love to trade out of their annual late first round pick. They'll wait until the last second to see how the board falls, but ultimately they move a few spots back and gain draft capital, while Indianapolis uses the pick they got from the Jets last year to go get A.J. Brown and bolster their receiving corps. 

I reiterate that I don't know shit and am completely guessing on these picks, but it's always fun to see how close you can get. Merry Draftmas everyone, and don't be surprised if Brett Veach and the Chiefs find a way to trade up into the back end of Day 1 if a guy they really like falls far enough. 

2019 NFL Draft Positional Rankings

Before we get into the rankings, I just want to preface with the information that I did not watch equal amounts of film or spend equal amount of time evaluating every player listed. I used the opinions and analysis of draft evaluators I follow and trust to determine my final preferences at each position. I only say that for full transparency, because I have formed my own opinion on the majority of these players through my own scouting methods. These rankings are based on how likely the player is to succeed in the NFL. I did not look at the TE and ILB positions enough to form a top 10. That being said, here are my official positional rankings for the 2019 NFL Draft Class.

P.S. I don't scout offensive linemen. I'll get there for future draft classes though!

QB

1. Kyler Murray - Oklahoma
2. Drew Lock - Missouri
3. Dwayne Haskins - Ohio State
4. Will Grier - West Virginia
5. Tyree Jackson - Buffalo
6. Daniel Jones - Duke
7. Jordan Ta'amu - Ole Miss
8. Brett Rypien - Boise State
9. Kyle Shurmur - Vanderbilt
10. Ryan Finley - NC State

RB

1. Josh Jacobs - Alabama
2. Darrell Henderson - Memphis
3. David Montgomery - Iowa State
4. Miles Sanders - Penn State
5. Justice Hill - Oklahoma State
6. Devin Singletary - Florida Atlantic
7. Dexter Williams - Notre Dame
8. Devine Ozigbo - Nebraska
9. Rodney Anderson - Oklahoma
10. Alex Barnes - Kansas State

WR

1. Hakeem Butler - Iowa State
2. D.K. Metcalf - Ole Miss
3. N'Keal Harry - Arizona State
4. A.J. Brown - Ole Miss
5. Deebo Samuel - South Carolina
6. Marquise Brown - Oklahoma
7. Parris Campbell - Ohio State
8. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside - Stanford
9. Riley Ridley - Georgia
10. Kelvin Harmon - NC State

TE

1. T.J. Hockensen - Iowa
2. Noah Fant - Iowa
3. Jace Sternberger - Texas A&M
4. Irv Smith Jr. - Alabama
5. Dawson Knox - Ole Miss

EDGE

1. Nick Bosa - Ohio State
2. Clelin Ferrell - Clemson
3. Brian Burns - Florida State
4. Josh Allen - Kentucky
5. Montez Sweat - Mississippi State
6. Jachai Polite - Florida
7. Christian Miller - Alabama
8. Chase Winovich - Michigan
9. Rashan Gary - Michigan
10. Charles Omenihu - Texas

IDL

1. Quinnen Williams - Alabama
2. Ed Oliver - Houston
3. Jeffery Simmons - Mississippi State
4. Jerry Tillery - Notre Dame
5. Christian Wilkins - Clemson
6. Khalen Saunders - Western Illinois
7. Dre'Mont Jones - Ohio State
8. Dexter Lawrence - Clemson
9. Daniel Wise - Kansas
10. Renell Wren - Arizona State

ILB

1. Devin Bush - Michigan
2. Devin White - LSU
3. Ben Burr-Kirven - Washington
4. Blake Cashman - Minnesota
5. Drue Tranquill - Notre Dame

CB

1. Greedy Williams - LSU
2. DeAndre Baker - Georgia
3. Amari Oruwariye - Penn State
4. Rock Ya-Sin - Temple
5. Byron Murphy - Washington
6. Julian Love - Notre Dame
7. Sean Bunting - Central Michigan
8. Justin Layne - Michigan State
9. Isaiah Johnson - Houston
10. JoeJuan Williams - Vanderbilt

S

1. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - Florida

2. Nasir Adderley - Delaware
3. Darnell Savage - Maryland
4. Deionte Thompson - Alabama
5. Juan Thornhill - Virginia
6. Amani Hooker - Iowa
7. Taylor Rapp - Washington
8. Jonathan Abram - Mississippi State
9. Marquise Blair - Utah
10. Mike Edwards - Kentucky

When comparing my opinion to the overall draft community's, there's a few things that stand out:

1. I am not as high on Byron Murphy as most people are. I don't believe he has shutdown CB1 ability, but should still be a starter and a good one if put in the best position for his skillset.

2. I am lower on Josh Allen and Rashan Gary than most. I think Josh Allen could be a great player when played in the right spot, but his upside as a pure pass rusher isn't as high as the players above him. Gary is a polarizing player in the draft community, and I tend to agree with the fact that his college production is worrisome. If he's such a great player, why wasn't he able to produce like even his former Wolverine teammate?

3. Hakeem Butler is the best WR in the draft. I understand there are traits to be worried about, like his bad habit of dropping passes, but the rest of his game is too much to pass over. It may just be the fact that they wear the same number, but he looks like A.J. Green to me.

4. I am high on Devine Ozigbo. I was first introduced to him by listening to The Draft Dudes podcast, a The Draft Network podcast, where he did an interview with the hosts and impressed me with his intelligence and ability to speak to multiple run schemes, even schemes he hadn't played in a lot in college. His film impressed me further, and I think he's a steal waiting to happen later in the draft.

5. Drew Lock > Dwayne Haskins. The consensus seems to be that Haskins is the better pro prospect, but I think Lock's arm talent, natural play making ability, and confidence in himself could come together to form a good starting NFL QB. I just hope it's not for Denver.

I will have a Predictive Mock Draft on here before the 1st round begins Thursday night. Thanks everybody for reading, and Happy NFL Draft week!

Looking at the 2019 Schedule

The official regular season schedule for the 2019 Chiefs has been released.

1 Sun, Sep 8 at Jacksonville 12:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 15 at Oakland 3:05 PM
3 Sun, Sep 22 Baltimore 12:00 PM
4 Sun, Sep 29 at Detroit 12:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 6 Indianapolis 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football)
6 Sun, Oct 13 Houston 12:00 PM
7 Thu, Oct 17 at Denver 7:20 PM  (Fox Thursday Night Football)
8 Sun, Oct 27 Green Bay 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football)
9 Sun, Nov 3 Minnesota 12:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 10 at Tennessee 12:00 PM
11 Mon, Nov 18 at L.A. Chargers 7:15 PM (ESPN Monday Night Football in Mexico)
12 *BYE
13 Sun, Dec 1 Oakland 12:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 8 at New England 3:25 PM
15 Sun, Dec 15 Denver 12:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 22 at Chicago 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football)
17 Sun, Dec 29 L.A. Chargers 12:00 PM

Initial takeaways:

- Open with 3 out of 4 games on the road for the 2nd consecutive year.
- All 3 divisional games at home are in December
- Late Bye week is an advantage for teams needing to make a run down the stretch
- 5 primetime games plus the Patriots game in the CBS 3:25 national window. They are still eligible for another game to be flexed to primetime.

Most important games of the season:

Week 5 vs. Indianapolis (SNF)

- The first primetime game of the season, and only 1 of 2 primetime games at Arrowhead. The Chiefs beat the Colts in last year's divisional round. The Colts look to be AFC contenders, and winning this game would be a good tone setter for the Chiefs' Super Bowl aspirations. 

Week 11 @ Los Angeles Chargers (MNF Mexico)

- The first game against L.A. , who will most likely be strongly contending for the AFC West like last year. The game will be the 2nd consecutively on the road, and the last contest before the Bye week. Fatigue may be a factor in this game. It is important that the Chiefs get the initial edge on the division against the Chargers, especially because the Week 17 matchup may not matter depending on the rest of the schedule. Winning the division is the first step to making a super bowl run, and getting a victory here is extremely crucial to that. 

Week 14 @ New England 

- The 3rd consecutive year the Chiefs will travel to Foxboro in the regular season. If the Patriots perform how they always do, they should be in contention for a playoff bye week and home field advantage at this point. Yes, the Chiefs blew their home field advantage opportunity last year by losing to the Patriots in the AFC Championship, but you'd still much rather host the Pats in the postseason than have to visit them. Obviously we don't know how similar their records will be, but most likely this game will have a big impact on which team has a higher seed than the other. 

Most exciting game of the season:

Week 8 vs. Green Bay

- I was excited for this one before the schedule was even released, but the NFL got me even more pumped up for it by putting it on NBC Sunday Night Football. It really comes down to one thing: Pat Mahomes vs. Aaron Rodgers. Debatably the two most talented QBs in the world facing off. I'm hoping the Chiefs' defense is better this year, but I wouldn't mind them looking like they did last season for this one. I want all the scoring, the fireworks, big plays, all while under the lights at Arrowhead. This will be one of the best games in all the NFL this year. 

Toughest game of the season:

Week 7 @ Denver (TNF)

- After what should be a tough matchup at home against the defending AFC South champion Texans, the Chiefs have a short week as they travel to Denver for Thursday Night Football. Denver is never an easy place to play with the altitude and the crowd atmosphere. Plus, their defense is still dangerous, and they have the most reps against Pat Mahomes out of any team in the league (this will be their 4th game against him). The lack of preparation time combined with the factors of playing at Mile High, this will probably be one of the toughest games they play all season. 

Way-too-early Predictions:

1 Sun, Sep 8 at Jacksonville 12:00 PM 
2 Sun, Sep 15 at Oakland 3:05 PM  
3 Sun, Sep 22 Baltimore 12:00 PM  
4 Sun, Sep 29 at Detroit 12:00 PM 
5 Sun, Oct 6 Indianapolis 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football)
6 Sun, Oct 13 Houston 12:00 PM 
7 Thu, Oct 17 at Denver 7:20 PM  (Fox Thursday Night Football)
8 Sun, Oct 27 Green Bay 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football) 
9 Sun, Nov 3 Minnesota 12:00 PM  
10 Sun, Nov 10 at Tennessee 12:00 PM
11 Mon, Nov 18 at L.A. Chargers 7:15 PM (ESPN Monday Night Football in Mexico)
12 *BYE
13 Sun, Dec 1 Oakland 12:00 PM 
14 Sun, Dec 8 at New England 3:25 PM 
15 Sun, Dec 15 Denver 12:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 22 at Chicago 7:20 PM (NBC Sunday Night Football)
17 Sun, Dec 29 L.A. Chargers 12:00 PM 

12-4 Record

- This schedule is super tough. There isn't a single easy game on the schedule, and the closest we get to one is @ Detroit and I think the Lions will be a lot better than they were last year. 12-4 would be exceptional, and hopefully it comes with a division championship. 

Jace Sternberger vs. Dawson Knox

There is one position on the Chiefs offense that has not been utilized to its full potential in the Andy Reid era, and I don't think fans understand the impact a significant upgrade could make. TE2, more specifically the 2nd TE alongside All-Pro Travis Kelce in double TE sets, has been occupied by Demetrius Harris since 2015. He has been the best play maker at the spot out of the two that preceded him, although that is comparing him to 30 year old Anthony Fasano and 10 games of James O'Shaugnessy. Offensive mastermind Andy Reid loves using multiple TE sets, and it is a big advantage when you break it down: Defenses will have a particular personnel on the field based on what the offense has in their huddle, and multiple TEs traditionally suggest a tight formation with a run play as the biggest possibility. Defenses will substitute accordingly, but Andy will mess around and go empty spread with the TEs lined up as WRs. This automatically creates mismatches in the secondary. When the defense tries to catch on and adjust who's on the field, Andy will tighten the formation and run into a box filled with defensive backs rather than linebackers. Ideally, the TEs should be good at both receiving and run blocking for this reason. Travis Kelce is inconsistent in the blocking department, but is obviously an elite pass catcher. Demetrius Harris is inconsistent in both departments, and makes at least one bonehead play a game that always reminds me why I'm passionate about the point of this piece.

WE NEED AN UPGRADE AT TE2!

It is absolutely overdue and it is the perfect draft class to find one. The 2019 TE Draft class is widely regarded as extremely top heavy and deep, with prospects like T.J. Hockensen and Noah Fant projecting as surefire first round picks. With what the Chiefs draft plan should be, I prefer going into the deeper part of the class rather than the top tier. Brett Veach and the front office has already made it known that they are looking into drafting one. Two prospects they have officially met with are Texas A&M TE Jace Sternberger and Ole Miss TE Dawson Knox. Sternberger also has an additional visit to KC in April. They are two of my favorite TEs in the class, Jace projecting closer to the 1st round and Knox being a Round 3 pick at best, and by the end of this piece, I will tell you who I prefer as a potential Chiefs TE2.

Jace Sternberger 

Jace is a 4 year Junior from Kingfisher, OK. He was a 3 sport athlete in High School, including playing both sides of the ball and winning a state championship his junior year. He originally attended the University of Kansas, and had one redshirt year before playing very seldom his first year. He ended up transferring to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for one season before being a gem of a find for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M. He immediately impressed by earning team MVP honors during spring camp and he didn't stop there. Sternberger ended the season leading the team in every receiving category, with 48 catches, 832 yards, 17.33 yards per catch, 10 TDs, and 64 yards per game. He was named a consensus 1st team All-American and was 1st team All-SEC. The team awarded Jace the Offensive Top Newcomer Award, Offensive MVP Award and Strength and Conditioning Offensive Aggie Award.

He attended the scouting combine and measured out as 6'4" , 251 pounds , 9.75 inch hands, 32.13 inch arms, and a 77.25 inch wingspan. He posted a 4.75 second 40 yard dash, 17 reps on the bench press, a 31.5 inch vertical, a 9'5" broad jump, a 7.19 second 3 cone drill, a 4.31 second 20 yard shuttle and a 12.09 second 60 yard shuttle.

He has good straight ahead speed for a TE and it's displayed here. He is very smooth both in his route running and as a ball carrier after the catch.

 

 Smooth route here, good speed bending around the defender but can't finish the very difficult catch.

 Good route run here quickly embarrassing a LB. The advantage of being a TE2 is you would get these types of matchups, and Sternberger is the type to fully take advantage of the mismatch with a slower LB on him.

A defender draped all over him, he still manages to go up and get it. He is consistently strong at the catch point.

 You can trust him to go get a contested grab around the sticks like this play. His route could be more defined, but his natural catching ability makes up for it.

 Shows off his playmaking ability and athleticism here. There aren't a lot of TEs that can execute that subtle speed cut to avoid the first attempted tackler, and with the way KC's offense can spread a defense out, one missed tackler can result in big plays like this one. 

His blocking isn't a strength in his play, but he does show good fundamentals and finishes his block all the way through here. 

 

 Takes out two defenders here on the cut block. Jace doesn't need to be a great blocker right away as a TE2, but you see potential that gives you hope he can develop that skill if/when he has to eventually be the TE1.

Dawson Knox

Dawson is also a 4 year Junior. His hometown is Brentwood, TN, where he had limited exposure on the football field due to a season ending ankle injury that happened halfway through the first game of his senior season. He was actually playing as the starting QB when that happened, even though he had previously been a receiver. A partial reason for the switch was an abrupt growth spurt of 4 inches and 50 pounds between his junior and senior football seasons. He also participated in Track, and was the champion of the school's Dunk Contest. He redshirted his first year at Mississippi, and barely found the field in his first eligible season. He then came onto the scene his sophomore year with 9 starts and a few games that earned him onto Pro Football Focus's SEC Team of the Week. He came into his junior year a Preseason 3rd team All-SEC pick, and on the Mackey Award list. His statistics were extremely underwhelming though, and totaled out to only 15 catches, 284 yards, and 0 TDs. Dawson was not able to catch a single TD in his college career. He did have 3 teammates at WR that will most likely be drafted in April, including two that could be first rounders. Regardless, it was an underwhelming season for Knox, and he decided to leave early.

He attended the scouting combine and measured out as 6'4" 3/8 , 254 pounds, 9.75 inch hands, 33.5 inch arms, and a 80.5 wingspan. At the combine, he totaled 16 reps on bench press, a 34.5 inch vertical, a 7.12 second 3 cone drill, and a 4.27 second 20 yard shuttle. At his Pro Day, he ran a 4.57 second 40 yard dash and posted a 10'2" broad jump.

 Dawson probably isn't as strong as he needs to be to excel at blocking at the pro level, but he does show good technique with his hand placement and the way he drives his feet. He does finish well, and there are tons of examples like this one below.

  

 He played a ton of snaps at the H-Back position, and he was tasked with being a pulling lead blocker regularly. He executed here by staying square to the LOS, setting his feet well and establishing a good base to stonewall the ILB.

 

 Here he again has the responsibility as the pulling lead blocker from the H-Back position, and he overwhelms Mack Wilson , a potential top 3 ILB in this Draft Class, with momentum coming downhill. He engages and pancakes him. 

Ole Miss had Knox lining up everywhere, including here as an outside WR. We all know how Andy loves versatility at all skill positions, and he shows at least above average quickness in and out of brakes and overall route running ability.

 

 Good speed coming across on the drag here. He doesn't look too comfortable dodging tacklers in open field though.

 

 Makes an impressive catch out of his frame behind him here, and stays on his feet for a few more yards.

 

 Another example of catching outside of his frame. In 4 games watching Knox I didn't see any drops. He was severely underutilized at Ole Miss. 

After evaluating both of these guys in the perspective that they would be the TE2 in the Chiefs offense immediately, I think Jace Sternberger has the highest ceiling for a receiving impact. That being said, Dawson Knox shows good enough ability in the pass game, and his blocking potential is much greater than Jace's. I think Jace will be an immediate impact anywhere he's drafted, and will be worth the pick for whoever makes it, but personally I believe in the fact that Knox was not able to show his true potential in college due to under utilization. I also am a fan of skill players that were former QBs in high school (just like Travis Kelce). They know how their QB sees the game, and usually have good general offensive IQ. All that combined with the fact he will probably fall further in the draft than Sternberger, I hope the Chiefs elect to upgrade their TE2 position by choosing Dawson Knox in the upcoming draft. I wouldn't be upset if Jace was the pick though.

What the 2019 Chiefs Defense may look like

We, as fans, have been calling for the firing of Bob Sutton for the past couple seasons. He's been the scapegoat for the recent defensive woes, and is considered by some the main reason the Chiefs were not able to hoist the Lamar Hunt Trophy this past January, or even the Lombardi in February. There was only celebration when the Chiefs announced his time was up. You can't say the same about the reaction when Steve Spagnuolo was given the job. There were believers, but also skeptics and those that opposed. He has had success at the NFL level, but in short stints. The years between were not so great. There's an argument for and against the hire. If you are hesitating to get behind the new defensive regime, try to remember back to Fall 2018...

Remember how embarrassing that side of the ball was. Remember the Devonte Booker TD in Week 4 when our attempted tacklers looked like High School JV. Remember the score of the first two losses of the season: 40-43 and 51-54! Remember Philip Rivers throwing a wide open, game winning 2 point conversion because 2 defenders ran with the same man. Remember Tom Brady and the Patriots marching up and down the field in the AFC Championship. Remember the instant reaction of knowing the game was a loss once New England won the overtime coin toss.

Once you remember all those painful memories, you realize that you're just glad Bob Sutton is gone, and who even cares who the replacement is, right?

The point is, Chiefs Kingdom has been calling for an overhaul on defense for years. It's finally here, and some are shy to the plan. The recent cuts had to happen. Both Houston and Berry had too high of a cap hit, Ford wasn't in the long term plans, and anyone else not returning shouldn't be missed. I get it, losing all these big names at once is scary, but if they want to change the defensive identity, improve the unit as a whole, and switch up the philosophy, then it's time to get younger and cheaper.

They have added 4 potential 2019 starters already in Free Agency:

S Tyrann Matheiu

LB Damien Wilson

DE Alex Okafor

CB Bashaud Breeland

With these new pieces added into the mix, the following is what I think the 2019 Defense would look like right now in the base 4-3 that Spagnuolo runs:

What I think the 2019 Defense would look like right now in the 4-3 Nickel that Spagnuolo runs:

Looking at this starting group, it's obvious that there is still work to be done. When Mathieu was signed, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reported that the Chiefs intended to play him at the FS position. While he is capable, and will undoubtedly play snaps there at times, he needs to be the main SS in order to take full advantage of his athleticism and instincts closer to the Line of Scrimmage. If they do intend to play him primarily deep, Jordan Lucas would be my favorite to play SS. I believe Watts is primed to win the FS role over the other suitors on the roster if Tyrann is the SS, but that doesn't include the potential draft pick brought in. Look for that position to be upgraded in the draft, although it's tough to determine how long they'll wait on draft weekend to address it.

The CB group has promise, but should not be a finished product. Fuller and Breeland would be a solid pairing in the base, but when a 3rd CB is needed, you leave a young, 2nd year UDFA out on the perimeter (Ward). Don't get me wrong. I was a big fan of what Chavarius did down the stretch of the season. He made a few plays in the Indianapolis playoff game that got me excited for his future, but Chiefs fans know far too well about excitement building around a young, lowkey CB. Marcus Cooper went from a fan favorite to an angry mob instigator. I believe the Chiefs will invest in the CB position very early on in the draft, and I can't imagine it wouldn't be addressed before Day 3. 

The edge rushers almost entice a yawn. Okafor was a very good signing that will give the Chiefs a consistent presence in both the run and pass game every down. Speaks' ability is more up in the air, and I've written previously about how he can improve this upcoming season so I won't get into it. Behind those two, at this moment, is just Tanoh Kpassgnon. The hope is that this 4-3 scheme will fit both of them better, but we can only wait and see. Regardless, the position will need to be added to in the draft, and the buzz lately sounds like that may be where Veach is looking in the first round. Look for names like Clelin Ferrell, Charles Omenihu, and Chase Winovich to be possibilities wherever KC picks first. 

The starting LB group is arguably the most important part of the scheme change. Last year Hitchens was bad in Sutton's 3-4 scheme, but this season should be more comfortable for him. He played in the 4-3 Defense during his previous tenure in Dallas, and played considerably better than he did his first year in the 3-4. He seems like a natural fit for Mike LB due to his familiarity with the scheme and the assumption that he should be the leader of the defense. Dorian O'Daniel seems like a great fit for the weakside LB, a position that asks for athleticism and coverage skills, both things O'Daniel has shown in his young career. The new addition, Damien Wilson, came from the same 4-3 scheme Hitchens was a part of on the Cowboys, and fits well for what the strongside LB is asked to do. I'm not so sure he'll end up as the starter when September comes though. The Sam LB position is a very important spot in this particular style of defense, and if the Chiefs want to have a stronger defensive unit, they need to make sure this specific LB position is played by a high impact player. 

The interior DL group is top heavy with Jones, an all-pro player with elite interior pass rushing skills, and Nnadi, a 2nd year former NT that looked as good as he could in the role he played last year. Xavier Williams could come in to training camp and beat out Nnadi for those 1 Tech snaps, but he didn't impress nearly as much as Nnadi did last year. The depth behind those 3 is weak, so count on a Day 3 pick to be used. 

The Chiefs Defense is far from the squad we'll see when the 2019 season kicks off. The draft will bring in more rotational pieces, and possibly a starter or two. The thing to really look out for is the possibility of a big trade coming. The cap space KC has allows for another big contract to be taken on, but it could also just be for potential contract extensions for Chris Jones and Tyreek Hill. We will see what happens, but the most important thing to remember is that the Chiefs are entering next year with a new defensive staff and philosophy, and that's what we, as Chiefs fans, wanted all along. 

Tyrann Mathieu, The Honey Badger

Brett Veach and the Chiefs' front office kicked off the 2019 offseason Monday with an unsuspected, but exciting signing. Soon to be 27 year old Tyrann Mathieu, AKA "The Honey Badger," will be a Kansas City Chief, agreeing to a 3 year, $42 million contract with $14 million guaranteed. It is especially interesting considering they had to outbid Houston for him, a city that Mathieu called his "second home." He signed a 1 year, $7 million deal to play there last offseason. KC did pursue him that spring, but ultimately did not have the cap space to match Houston's offer. It's obvious Veach wanted the former LSU Tiger and Heisman Finalist, and he proved it this offseason by offering a bigger per year salary than what the Texans put on the table, even though it sounds like their offer was longer term. There was no love lost from Houston though, as now former teammates and area media members used yesterday as a chance to praise and thank Mathieu for his short time there.

Statistics

According to Nate Taylor, Chiefs beat writer for The Athletic, Mathieu was KC's highest ranked free agent among available players due to the fact that he graded as an above-average defender in all categories. At 5'9" and 174 pounds, he has been the definition of versatile his entire career, but especially in 2018. Per PFF, Tyrann played over 300 snaps each at slot CB, free safety, and box safety. In fact, he registered at least one snap at each of the following positions during this past season: OLB (162 snaps), ILB (58), Outside CB (20), and even Defensive Tackle!! (4 snaps). Taylor reported that the Chiefs' plan is to have him be the deep safety, a position he hasn't exclusively played but is certainly capable. While that will be the plan, there is no doubt Mathieu will be all over the defensive backfield in Kansas City.

The Honey Badger has had a productive career according to the Pro Football Focus grading system. In 2013, his rookie year, he had an overall grade of 84.6, good enough to earn a 1st team All-Pro spot from PFF's perspective. For comparison, that grade would've ranked 6th among NFL safeties in 2018. His best year came in 2015, when he ranked as the #10 overall player in the NFL, according to PFF grades, with a 90.7 overall grade. He had a career high 5 INTs, 1 TD, 17 passes defended, and 11 tackles for loss. He was also 1st team All-Pro that season. He was so good in 2015 that he graded out as the best CB in the NFL with a 91.6 grade when in that position, even though he wasn't a full time CB. For 2018, Tyrann was the 21st overall safety per PFF, but posted a top 5 grade for his position in run defense. He was 7th among safeties with total snaps played, and 6th in pass coverage snaps. His 2018 season consisted of 2 INTs, 8 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery, a career high 3 sacks and 89 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 4 QB hits. His grades would've been the highest among Chiefs' safeties in 2018 overall, in run defense, as a pass rusher, and in coverage. No matter how you spin the statistics, it's pretty obvious The Honey Badger will be an immediate upgrade to what KC has had at safety in recent seasons.

His injury history will obviously be talked about. He has been placed on the IR three separate times in his career, the latest coming towards the end of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury. While that justifies concern, he has started every game the past 2 seasons for the Cardinals and Texans, a trend Chiefs fans hope continues.

Corresponding Effects on the Roster

All the excitement for Mathieu comes with tough decisions that now need to be made. Ryan Scott Hall, co-host of the Amateur Hour Podcast (a must listen if you're a Chiefs fan) made a good point on Twitter about the current cap situation at the safety position.

20% of the salary cap invested in one position is rarely heard of, and not considered an efficient use of cap space. In my opinion, the first corresponding decision is easy: Cut Daniel Sorensen. He has been a good player in his role, but there's no reason to pay him that money. He is easily replaceable. The next move isn't as easy to make, although some Chiefs fans would disagree. It's time to cut Eric Berry, like this week. If KC wants to have as much cap space usable as possible, they'll need to designate Berry as a post June 1st cut by Friday, March 15, or $7.25 million of his contract will become guaranteed and not available for use to sign other free agents or draft picks. The thought of a healthy Berry and Tyrann Mathieu as a safety duo is very intriguing, and debatably the best pair at that position in the league, but it's nearly impossible to have confidence that EB will be ready for a full 2019 season after only playing in parts of 4 games the past 2 seasons. It will be a mournful day in Chiefs Kingdom if they do decide to part ways with their former All-Pro safety, but great teams don't invest money into players that can't get on the field. If the Chiefs want to be true contenders for the near future, they need to utilize the cap space Berry is taking up. If those two moves occur, expect Eric Murray, Jordan Lucas, and Armani Watts to fill out the rest of that position group, along with a potential draft pick in April. 

Now let's check out what The Honey Badger looks like on the field. 

2018 Film Analysis

The first thing that I notice when watching Mathieu's film is his tenacity and aggressiveness moving downhill for tackles. Flies at the pass catcher as soon as he recognizes that's where the ball is going, doesn't give the ball carrier a chance to avoid him. 

Even in the run game, he explodes down the ally and finishes tackles behind the line of scrimmage. 

His downhill speed is illustrated laterally as well, here when he's in coverage at deep safety. Reacts to the QB's eyes, locates the WR, and does his best to disrupt the catch. 

It's not just downhill where he shows how fast he is. His athleticism allows him to never be out of a play, using his speed to chase down ball carriers when he needs to. 

Don't let Tyrann's height and weight fool you. He plays bigger than his size. He'll put a shoulder into the stomach and attempt to bury a runner into the ground when he has the chance.

He doesn't have consistent tackling technique, and it can bite him in the ass at times, but you'll never have to question his hustle. 

Tyrann's natural instinct is on full display in his pass rush snaps. His feel for the timing of the snap, the intuition to know how to manipulate the LT's set, the subtle change of direction to mislead the RB on his blocking path, it all shows here. 

A lot of the same here. He disguises his intentions very well, which causes the RB to guess wrong on where he's coming from. 

His timing of the snap makes this whole play. If it's any slower or mistimed, the RT may have a chance to get in his way more. 

Shows good reps in man coverage. Trusts his athleticism and his ball skills to make plays on the pass. 

His small stature causes issues when covering bigger receivers at times though. He tries to make up for it with his natural aggressiveness, but sometimes the size difference is too much to overcome. Here he draws a holding penalty while covering 6'4" 250 pound David Njoku. This call could go either way, to be fair. 

Resorts to grabbing the jersey here while having a tough time covering TE Jordan Reed.

This wasn't a terrible hold, but too much hand activity draws the flag. 

Obviously, The Honey Badger isn't exactly the college aged Honey Badger. He's still a playmaker, but I imagine a 19 year old Tyrann turns this into a pick 6, or at least a big INT return. 

Then again, this is a pretty nice reaction and catch to create a turnover. 

Chiefs fans have every reason to be excited about this signing, especially when they remember watching the defense last year. The secondary lacked energy and passion. Turnovers weren't created as much as the past. At times, specifically against the Patriots, they were just bullied. Tyrann Mathieu can't turn a bad secondary into a good one by himself, but his leadership along with the new defensive scheme should be enough to take the performance from the defensive backs and turn it up a notch.