Draft Day II Morning Cup O’Chiefs

Ugh, another defensive lineman.

That seemed to be the general attitude of the fans at the Chiefs Draft Day Party at the team’s practice facility on Saturday afternoon.

When Tyson Jackson’s name was announced as the team’s first-round draft pick, it did not light a fuse with the fans. A defensive end? Another defensive lineman? A fifth time in the last eight years with the team selecting a defensive lineman with their first choice?

There had been so much talk about linebacker Aaron Curry, considered the best defensive player in the draft. There were the dreams of some that with the departure of Tony Gonzalez, the Chiefs would go out and get another weapon for Matt Cassel, somebody like Michael Crabtree. Everyone expected Scott Pioli to trade out of the pick because he comes from the Patriots who have made trading draft picks an art form.

Long suffering Chiefs fans hoped that a pass rusher was coming in the Draft, something to punch up what was the league’s all-time worst pass rush last year.

None of that was a factor when Pioli told the Chiefs reps in New York to hand in Jackson’s name.

In four seasons at Louisiana State, Jackson had 18.5 sacks; his best season in getting the passer on the ground was his sophomore year (2006) when he had 8.5 sacks.

But Pioli sees Jackson as a talent and person who could become the cornerstone for the Chiefs defense for many years to come, and he had a story to backup that feeling.

“I had an interesting conversation this week with Coach (Jimmy) Johnson and we were talking about defensive linemen,” Pioli said. “I’m not comparing him (Jackson) to this player I’m about to speak about. But I remember Coach Johnson a long time ago in conversations Bill (Belichick) and I had with him about Russell Maryland. That year (1991) they were due to pick the fourth spot overall (actually the 11^th selection) and they traded up to one to get Russell Maryland, a player who played in the league for 10 years.

“He had only 24 and a half sacks over the course of his career and only went to one Pro Bowl. But Coach Johnson talked about the importance of Russell Maryland how he allowed him to play the defense they wanted to play and what an important component he was even though he didn’t rack up sacks or only went to one Pro Bowl.

“What he was as a player in a very key position allowed the defense to be what the defense was. Comparing him to some of the Patriots defensive linemen, having the right players allows you to play the scheme.”

What Pioli is saying is if the rest of this defense falls together the way they want, Jackson will be the Chiefs’ Russell Maryland, the guy who allows them to play the type of defense they want to put on the field.

“We spent a lot of time with the defensive coaches this week trying to understand how they want to play the scheme and finding the right players to fit in there,” Pioli said. “That’s where we’re at.”

One of the major keys with Jackson is his versatility, something both Pioli and head coach Todd Haley addressed several times in their comments about their newest player. When the Chiefs play a 4-3, he can move inside and play the defensive tackle spot. When the Chiefs play a 3-4, Jackson can play defensive end. When they go to the nickel defense, he can play tackle or end. If they are going to play hybrid combination of those defenses, he factors in as well.

He’s not a player who should come off the field, based on down and distance, for anything other than taking a break.

“We look at Tyson as a three-down player and we actually think that he probably gains an advantage on third down if he moves inside and is over a guard,” said Haley. “He’s got some pass rush skills, there is no doubt about it and that’s one of the things that excited the coaches about him. When you can take advantage of some match-ups inside it may really help him and us.”

Added Pioli: “In a 3-4 defense even though he’s playing defensive end and more outside in the regular (defense) in sub packages he has the skill set to move in and potentially to have a mismatch, not necessarily on the edge.”

There was nothing sexy about the pick of Tyson Jackson. It doesn’t mean he won’t pay off for the Chiefs. We have to wait for that. Pioli thinks he can be a foundation piece.

One thing is for sure: there will be no middle ground with this guy when it comes to Chiefs fans. He will either be a contributor or he will be considered a major bust. It will be black or white.

Pioli/Haley think he’s the guy that can allow the Chiefs to play the defense they want to play. Chiefs fans just hope he’s not another long line of defensive line disappointments.

AND IN THE SECOND ROUND THE CHIEFS SELECT …

Of course, the Chiefs did not have a second-round pick in this year’s draft. They used it to get QB Matt Cassel in a trade.

When it came time for the Patriots to use that 34^th selection, they grabbed safety Patrick Chung from Oregon.

Right now, that doesn’t sound like a bad trade: Cassel for Chung.

COMING UP ON SUNDAY FOR THE CHIEFS

The Chiefs will be busy right off the bat on Sunday morning.

They have the third pick of the third round (no. 67) and then follow that up with a fourth-round choice (No. 102), fifth-round pick (No. 139), sixth-round selection (No. 175) and a pair of seventh-round choices (No. 212 and 256, and last choice.)

WHAT WAS GOING DOWN IN THE REST OF THE AFC WEST

SAN DIEGO – The Chargers had only the 16th selection in the first round and they grabbed OLB/DE Larry English out of Northern Illinois. English had 31.5 career sacks while playing against competition just a step below the BCS conferences.

DENVER – The Broncos added five players in Day No. 1, with the emphasis on defense. The change at the top with Mike Shanahan out and Josh McDaniels in was evident in the first round, when they used pick No. 12 to take Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno (right). Shanahan would have never taken a running back in the first round. With the 18th pick they grabbed DE Robert Ayers from Tennessee. Then in the second round, they made a deal to get pick No. 37, so they could take CB Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest. To get there, they had to give up a first-round pick next year. Remember, they had a pair of first-rounders next year thanks to getting Chicago’s in the trade for Jay Cutler. With their own second-round pick they grabbed another corner, Darcel McBath, a sleeper out of Texas Tech.  And, they traded up into the last pick of the day, No. 64 to get TE RIchard Quinn out of North Carolina.

OAKLAND – As always, the Raiders left people scratching their heads with their selections: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey out of Maryland and the sleeper of the first day, safety Mike Mitchell out of Ohio University. So unknown was Mitchell that ESPN did not have a highlight ready to go for him.