Look At ’09 Draft Class Part 1 … Monday Cup O’Chiefs
It happened in the Chiefs first OTA session several weeks ago.
When the offensive and defensive lines went to a pass protection drill, No. 1 draft choice Tyson Jackson put his hand on the ground and went against 12-year veteran guard Mike Goff.
Jackson went three times against Goff. In the space of about 90 seconds he was welcomed to the NFL.
“They know everything those offensive linemen,” Jackson said last week as the Chiefs wrapped up their off-season practices. “A guy like him (Goff) has seen everything and there wasn’t much I could show him.”
This comment comes from Jackson with a smile on his face, because he knows that if he’s going to be successful in the NFL, he must find a way to show those offensive linemen something they haven’t seen before from him.
“Oh yeah, I tried some stuff and I’m going to keep trying some stuff,” he said. “If I’m going to get to the quarterback, then I’ve got to find some moves that work.”
Jackson and the rest of his fellow draft choices got welcomed to the NFL over the last six weeks since they were selected back in late April. They’ve learned the way Todd Haley and his staff want them to practice. They learned that they must get in better shape because the veterans had an entire month head-start in the strength and conditioning program.
They learned that there’s a lot they need to learn.
“Oh yeah, it’s something new every day,” said third-round draft choice Alex Magee. “At the start it was all new and your head is spinning. Now, I know I feel more comfortable.”
Over the next two days, we’ll take a look at the Chiefs eight draft choices and what they got done in OTAs and mini-camp and what didn’t happen.
We start today with the first four picks.
1ST-ROUND DE TYSON JACKSON
There is no actual line play in the off-season, so it’s very hard to get a complete view of how offensive and defensive linemen are performing.
What can be seen are their individual skills, how they attack the drills and with the pass protection segments, there’s a chance to see a rusher’s speed and moves.
Jackson certainly went all out when he worked. With the always vocal defensive line coach Tim Krumrie keeping up a constant patter of encouragement, admonishments and motivation, Jackson ran fast and with power.
As a pass rusher, there’s work that must be done. Jackson comes off the snap quite well and he’s got a few first moves. But pass rushers in the NFL find success with their second moves, and that’s something Jackson is lacking right now.
“I’ve definitely got to work on my techniques and get better at using my hands on the pass rush,” said Jackson. “I know that’s something I’m going to go home and work with before camp starts.”
Jackson has been installed at left defensive end with the No. 1 defense and took all the snaps with that group. There seems little doubt he’ll be part of the starting lineup come the 2009 regular season.
3RD-ROUND DE ALEX MAGEE
When it comes to a pass rush, Magee actually seems more advanced than Jackson. That’s largely due to his experience playing both defensive end and defensive tackle at Purdue. He’s a little more versatile and he’s seen more angles on the pass rush.
“I can see already that having had the chance to play inside at tackle has been a big help for me coming into the NFL,” said Magee. “It’s enabled me to show different things from inside to outside.”
But like Jackson and the other rookies, there are a host of new techniques and fundamentals for Magee to learn.
“I need to work on everything before camp starts,” he said. “I need to continue to work on my technique, to learn the plays, to continue to work on my first step and my second step and my hand placement.
“I can improve in every area.”
Magee has gotten snaps at right defensive end with the No. 1 defense when Glenn Dorsey was not able to practice. With Dorsey coming back at the end of the off-season work, Magee moved to the second team. He will definitely be part of the defensive line rotation come the regular season.
4TH-ROUND CB DONALD WASHINGTON
The NFL rule that kept Washington from taking part in the off-season work until the final week was really a setback for his chances of being able to make a contribution on defense in this rookie season.
“Conditioning, mentally and all of those things (he’s behind),” said Haley. “We will have somebody hanging with him to work and get him up to speed. We are going to catch him up in all areas. Cedric Smith (strength and conditioning coach) will be working with him in the weight area and out on the field. We will have coaches working with him mentally.”
Washington’s physical gifts should allow him to make a contribution very quickly in the kicking game, whether as a returner or in coverage.
5TH-ROUND OT COLIN BROWN
Considered a surprise pick around the league in the fifth round, Brown says he’s grown more and more comfortable as the on-field work has gone on.
“Slowly and surely it’s getting better every day,” Brown said. “Now it’s just getting out there and trying to get better on every snap, every practice. It was just like when you go to college. It’s something different and you have to get used to it every day.”
Watching Brown work in pass protection and his good feet are visible. So is his lack of experience playing from a three-point stance. At Mizzou, the line was always upright in the spread. Putting a hand on the ground has been an adjustment. In the pass pro deals, he seemed to hold his own against other rookies, while struggling against the veterans. No surprise there.
“Every phase needs work in some capacity,” he said.
Brown has worked exclusively at right tackle, spending time on the second and third O-Line units, alternating with Barry Richardson.
Tuesday: the sixth and seventh round choices.
AN OUT-OF-TOWN VIEW OF WHAT THE CHIEFS GOT DONE THIS SPRING
When there are new faces in the building, sometimes the best information and stories comes from out of town, where general managers, coaches and assistant coaches and players have relationships with members of the media.
Such is the case with the story that appeared in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times. It’s a good overall story from writer Sam Farmer about the strength and conditioning program that Haley instituted when he took over the team as head coach.
Most of the information has trickled out over the last few months, but here are two tidbits from the piece. First, not only did the team lose weight, but so did the head coach. He dropped 25 pounds in the last few months.
The second tidbit involved an attempt to motivate an overweight Branden Albert. GM Scott Pioli put a copy of the full body picture of the left tackle that was taken at the 2008 NFL Combine on Albert’s locker. At that time, Albert was less than 310 pounds. He was well over that figure when he showed up for the off-season program. He’s now back to being well under 310 pounds.
Here’s a link to the story.
Excellent first look report on the rooks here. It reminds us that very few rooks come into the league and dominate from the jump. The thing to look, hope and eventually expect is progress, slow or fast, but progress as opposed to guys treading water or going the other way.
From the tenor of Bob’s report, we’re seeing progress in varying speeds with these top of the crop rookie class, and that’s encouraging. Especially so when one considers the uneven performances of recent drafted rooks from the past few years.
What has to have Haley and the coaches pleased is that Washingotn missed the conditioning, BUT was still one of the rookies who passed the conditioning test. Not bad for sitting arond in class at OSU!!
The chiefs got alot of production out of Glen Dorsey last yr, and fans were disappointed even with that. We will be lucky to get even that much out of Tyson Jackson and Magee. That is just the normal learning curve of a defensive lineman.
Bob, can you give us an update of Hali’s transition to OLB, and his current weigh, as well as some of the other linebackers such as Demario WIlliams?
It happened in the Chiefs first OTA session several weeks ago.
When the offensive and defensive lines went to a pass protection drill, No. 1 draft choice Tyson Jackson put his hand on the ground and went against 12-year veteran guard Mike Goff.
Jackson went three times against Goff. In the space of about 90 seconds he was welcomed to the NFL.
“They know everything those offensive linemen,” Jackson said last week as the Chiefs wrapped up their off-season practices. “A guy like him (Goff) has seen everything and there wasn’t much I could show him.”
This comment comes from Jackson with a smile on his face, because he knows that if he’s going to be successful in the NFL, he must find a way to show those offensive linemen something they haven’t seen before from him.
“Oh yeah, I tried some stuff and I’m going to keep trying some stuff,” he said. “If I’m going to get to the quarterback, then I’ve got to find some moves that work.”
Jackson and the rest of his fellow draft choices got welcomed to the NFL over the last six weeks since they were selected back in late April. They’ve learned the way Todd Haley and his staff want them to practice. They learned that they must get in better shape because the veterans had an entire month head-start in the strength and conditioning program.
They learned that there’s a lot they need to learn.
“Oh yeah, it’s something new every day,” said third-round draft choice Alex Magee. “At the start it was all new and your head is spinning. Now, I know I feel more comfortable.”
Over the next two days, we’ll take a look at the Chiefs eight draft choices and what they got done in OTAs and mini-camp and what didn’t happen.
We start today with the first four picks.
1ST-ROUND DE TYSON JACKSON
There is no actual line play in the off-season, so it’s very hard to get a complete view of how offensive and defensive linemen are performing.
What can be seen are their individual skills, how they attack the drills and with the pass protection segments, there’s a chance to see a rusher’s speed and moves.
Jackson certainly went all out when he worked. With the always vocal defensive line coach Tim Krumrie keeping up a constant patter of encouragement, admonishments and motivation, Jackson ran fast and with power.
As a pass rusher, there’s work that must be done. Jackson comes off the snap quite well and he’s got a few first moves. But pass rushers in the NFL find success with their second moves, and that’s something Jackson is lacking right now.
“I’ve definitely got to work on my techniques and get better at using my hands on the pass rush,” said Jackson. “I know that’s something I’m going to go home and work with before camp starts.”
Jackson has been installed at left defensive end with the No. 1 defense and took all the snaps with that group. There seems little doubt he’ll be part of the starting lineup come the 2009 regular season.
3RD-ROUND DE ALEX MAGEE
When it comes to a pass rush, Magee actually seems more advanced than Jackson. That’s largely due to his experience playing both defensive end and defensive tackle at Purdue. He’s a little more versatile and he’s seen more angles on the pass rush.
“I can see already that having had the chance to play inside at tackle has been a big help for me coming into the NFL,” said Magee. “It’s enabled me to show different things from inside to outside.”
But like Jackson and the other rookies, there are a host of new techniques and fundamentals for Magee to learn.
“I need to work on everything before camp starts,” he said. “I need to continue to work on my technique, to learn the plays, to continue to work on my first step and my second step and my hand placement.
“I can improve in every area.”
Magee has gotten snaps at right defensive end with the No. 1 defense when Glenn Dorsey was not able to practice. With Dorsey coming back at the end of the off-season work, Magee moved to the second team. He will definitely be part of the defensive line rotation come the regular season.
4TH-ROUND CB DONALD WASHINGTON
The NFL rule that kept Washington from taking part in the off-season work until the final week was really a setback for his chances of being able to make a contribution on defense in this rookie season.
“Conditioning, mentally and all of those things (he’s behind),” said Haley. “We will have somebody hanging with him to work and get him up to speed. We are going to catch him up in all areas. Cedric Smith (strength and conditioning coach) will be working with him in the weight area and out on the field. We will have coaches working with him mentally.”
Washington’s physical gifts should allow him to make a contribution very quickly in the kicking game, whether as a returner or in coverage.
5TH-ROUND OT COLIN BROWN
Considered a surprise pick around the league in the fifth round, Brown says he’s grown more and more comfortable as the on-field work has gone on.
“Slowly and surely it’s getting better every day,” Brown said. “Now it’s just getting out there and trying to get better on every snap, every practice. It was just like when you go to college. It’s something different and you have to get used to it every day.”
Watching Brown work in pass protection and his good feet are visible. So is his lack of experience playing from a three-point stance. At Mizzou, the line was always upright in the spread. Putting a hand on the ground has been an adjustment. In the pass pro deals, he seemed to hold his own against other rookies, while struggling against the veterans. No surprise there.
“Every phase needs work in some capacity,” he said.
Brown has worked exclusively at right tackle, spending time on the second and third O-Line units, alternating with Barry Richardson.
Tuesday: the sixth and seventh round choices.
AN OUT-OF-TOWN VIEW OF WHAT THE CHIEFS GOT DONE THIS SPRING
When there are new faces in the building, sometimes the best information and stories comes from out of town, where general managers, coaches and assistant coaches and players have relationships with members of the media.
Such is the case with the story that appeared in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times. It’s a good overall story from writer Sam Farmer about the strength and conditioning program that Haley instituted when he took over the team as head coach.
Most of the information has trickled out over the last few months, but here are two tidbits from the piece. First, not only did the team lose weight, but so did the head coach. He dropped 25 pounds in the last few months.
The second tidbit involved an attempt to motivate an overweight Branden Albert. GM Scott Pioli put a copy of the full body picture of the left tackle that was taken at the 2008 NFL Combine on Albert’s locker. At that time, Albert was less than 310 pounds. He was well over that figure when he showed up for the off-season program. He’s now back to being well under 310 pounds.
Strength & Conditioning - a few questions come to mind:
* What accountability to themselves do now/did thence players have?
* What accountability does now/did thence Cedric Smith have?
* What accountability to the team did every same have?
* And what about Clark Hunt - provider grocerie$ them all thence as now…what cross his to bear?
Now who have we left out? Oh yes - Herm Edwards. Alas, he’s already been blamed by the blameless- the judiciary know nothings of Chiefs fandom.
That all was silent on the home front angst this issue all of last season, well…comes now out a hole of groundswell to pile on Herm as twere. In the words George Bush Sr. “I’m not gonna do it - wouldn’t be prudent.” Herm wasn’t that guy could turn ordinary water into wine - no one other is, magical canines any aside.
No - we are in search of new culprits today! Out with the old and in with this as convenient time any a look for scapegoats!
The cast, in random order:
The players - Strength/Conditioning Coach Smith - Owner Hunt Jr. - President/CEO/GM et al Peterson - Head Coach Edwards… ticket buyers the common man/woman fandom…NFL team scribes as well local ‘fishwrap’ same…the economy…Rin Tin Tin…the devil…
Back to where it all began nee always begins, and ends in truth: at the heart of the issue same the man in question, from his head to his toes points every in between - the stoma, ventral region, the boarding house reach same nee ‘motivation’…
If one wants to cast blame it follows the mirror might be a good first stop - that which affirms those be lies that we tell ourselves - turns our distortions into proportions as vast as that gap between Waters & ‘check’…
“Mirror mirror on the wall I’m not fat- bigboned that’s all.”
Do you blame H&R Schlock Tax Preparers when they make a mistake on your return, and the IRS comes a calling? Schlock says in their own defense “if the IRS takes you to court - we’ll be there with you.” Alas, hammer will fall on ‘your’ head, not theirs…it was your responsibility tax/player.
Personal responsibility.
Strength/Conditioning coach Alvin Roy came to KC Chiefs in ‘68 fresh off a half a decade run with the SD Chargers - SD played in five Championship Games in the AFL’s first six seasons.
Hank Stram snapped him up and in his first season KC went all the way to a West Division playoff… where OAK crushed us 41-6 as we ran out of gas at seasons end.
Did Alvin fail? Was it Hank’s fault? The players?
Or was it - viola! - a ‘team’ effort?
‘New’ in & of itself isn’t necessarily a panacea; every situation, nee place nee time is different.
Everybody answers to someone or some ‘thing’ and when we say ‘team’ we are speaking every: player, coach, auxilliary member…every.
Where does the buck stop? It stops right here… with Rin, as you.
‘Fake’ Rin Tin Tin post is the one two posts above -
one that begins “It happened in the Chiefs first OTA session several weeks ago.”
Cue yet another Elton John paraphrase: “Green eyes, fake Rin’s got (HUGE) green eyes.”
Th real Rin’s post (just above this) is easy to discern!
Hey ‘fakers’, you aren’t gonna get rid of Rin by posing, trying to make Him look bad by reposting Bob G’s entire blog - etc.
Rin Tin Tin is here to stay!
heh heh heh
Dont think you can make Rin feel bad with responses of a rude nature, Rin could run this blog and the chiefs.
Rin Tin Tin is here to stay!
Few can comprehend meaningless quotes and rambling on and on and on and on. Rin Can, Rin Does, Rin is, a Tool
Another ‘fake’ Rin (post above) ^ Elton John paraphrase, music maestro:
“Green eyes…fake Rin’s got, green eyes.”
Rin did you check to see if Herm is still a Man today??
Rin never needs to check such things. Herman Edwards, alas, has been cast out and blamed, much like Rin, for posting under a fake name. Rin Tin Tin knows Herm took the fall from the pervervial axe that simply represents the epitome of sacrifice.
In 1963, the Los Angeles Dodgers Won the World Series, Maury Wills said “you play hard, play to win” this shows the link between a winner and Herm, Rin knows this because Rin knows all that is Rin.
Two more ‘fake’ Rins- come they in waves now, drowning their own jealous invectives…
Once more music maestro - cue Elton John: “Green eyes, fake Rin(s) got…green eyes.”
heh heh heh
Guys, give it up. Rin’s going to post, and if you read through the “fancy” language, there’s some meat to what he says.
Damnit Bob,
Please set up a way for us to sign in and be accountable for our own replies.
Rin is simply a brief ignominous scroll downward and past his postings. Try it.
Some great stuff in that Sam Farmer article which shows Haley’s inner thoughts about Herm Edwards, how much he ruined this franchise, and what disdain Haley holds a guy like Herm in. Bravo Haley. Just the Coaching change alone should be worth a half dozen wins. Bravo Todd Haley.
He doesn’t mind players thinking he could blow a gasket at any moment, whether it’s true or not.
“You’d much rather have that than to be glad-handing and patting somebody on the butt; you don’t want that as your reputation,” he said. “I’m going to be about pushing you hard and not pulling any punches.”
Who’s Rin? Haven’t read one of his posts in months, since he showed himself to be an irrational, obsessed Herm Edwards lover, and not a Chiefs fan. Makes Bob’s site a whole lot better when you skip over his long winded tripe that says the same things over and over.
Josh says
“Guys, give it up.”
- and the condemned ate a hearty meal…defeated, offers a toast the victorious - Rin!
“Rin’s going to post”
- without question He is…
“and”
- (drumroll)
“if you read through the “fancy” language”
- yes, they do ofn stop to look at all the pretty pictures Rin doth paint by way the keystrokes his weaponry, Microsoft!
“there’s some meat to what he says.”
- RIMSHOT/CYMBAL CRASH! Do not apologize the rabble’s inability comprehend great literature nee the litmus test blogdom be, opine(s) Rin’s - ra’her, pity them… Rin does (aft He thrashes them unmercifully!)
Herm Edwards took ‘both’ Kaycee’s Chiefs as well the NY Jets to the post season in his first year Head Coach - this despite his 2 formers Al Groh and Dick Vermeil each failing to take their last season’s teams same, season afore.
Et tu ‘check’? Can we expect a playoff nee a post season… or a mighty whimper? Will be as Titanic it’s maiden: iceberg dead ahead Capt’n - ‘voyage’ to be sure…alas not so ‘bon’.
Yea, the whimpers shall have it- in fact they’re already practicing that ode faux self-conviction nee wail theirs this blog; watch that “1st step” ‘check’ - it’s a doozy!
I too dont read doggie poo.
I think most fans were screaming about Herm Edwards lack of player conditioning last yr…at least I was while I was pleading for the chiefs to “fire them all!”
findthedr says
“I too dont read doggie poo.”
- and now ladies & gentlemen the host of “The Liars Club”, Ro(d) Se(r)ling!
“I think most fans were screaming about Herm Edwards lack of player conditioning last yr”
- then it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find & show everyone some of those ‘many’ instances, yes?
Anytime you’re ready, doogie howser…
“at least I was while I was pleading for the chiefs to “fire them all!”
- feel free to go back in Bob’s archives and find ’several’ of yours too…we’ll leave the light on for you.
[ crickets ]. . . can somebody findthedr?
heh heh heh
If only ye knew of thy love of myself.
Cue yet one more ‘fake’ Rin ^ post above: “Green eyes…fake Rin’s got, green eyes.”
And the silence of the silent grows larger…
heh heh heh
Good to see rookies coming along. This organization and team is definately on its way up to greatness lets just enjoy the ride Chiefs fans.
Chiefs will win the West this year!!
Reference findthedr’s inability to offer a link or story any despite his claims - cue ‘The Eye of the Beholder’ Twilight Zone: “No change - no change at all!”
dr dr give us the news - you got a - bad case of puny excuse…
heh heh heh
findthedr / ‘fake’ Rin imitators et al
Still waiting - tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tic tick tick tick tick tick…
heh heh heh
findthedr / ‘fake’ Rin imitators et al
And the beat (down) goes on…and the beat (down) goes on…
Still waiting- tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tic tick tick tick tick tick…
He takes the bait again Rins a sucker
heh heh heh
findthedr / ‘fake’ Rin imitators et al
Second and 500th verse, same as the first!
And the beat (down) goes on…and the beat (down) goes on…
Still waiting- tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tic tick tick tick tick tick…
Your like fishing for carp in a barrel or better known as SUCKER fish. keep taken the bait.
heh heh heh
1, 2, 3, 4 tell Rin that you love Him more…
findthedr / ‘fake’ Rin imitators aplenty affirm - “that the beat (down) goes on…and the beat (down) goes on…
Still waiting- tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tic tick tick tick tick tick…
48 hours and counting now…is there a “dr” in the house/blog?
heh heh heh