Kansas City Chiefs 2012 NFL Draft Recap

The 2012 NFL Draft is over, and the Kansas City Chiefs have added eight new players to its roster. Most draft experts have pegged the Chiefs draft as below-average, and ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. gave Kansas City a C+ grade overall. Despite the pessimism, the Chiefs have added several players who could start as early as next season and addressed several areas of need.

Most of the criticism Kansas City is facing revolves around the Chiefs first round selection of DT Dontari Poe. While he was a workout freak at the combine, Poe did not have much of a career at Memphis, which plays in Conference USA. The Chiefs needed help at NT, but many feel that Poe was a reach and that the Chiefs may have once again whiffed on a defensive line draft pick. Poe certainly has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, and the criticism leveled at Scott Pioli may be a bit premature.

The Chiefs needed to add depth to the offensive line, which is precisely what Kansas City did with its second and third round picks. Jeff Allen appears to be a very strong candidate to start next season, and could hold down a guard spot on the Chiefs’ offensive line for the next decade. Kansas City nabbed Oklahoma’s Donald Stephenson in the third, who could develop into a starting tackle in the future while providing some much-needed depth and youth at the position in the meantime.

Allen and Stephenson were not the only additions the Chiefs made to their offense via the draft. Kansas City added WR Devon Wylie in the fourth round, RB Cyrus Gray in the sixth round, and WR Junior Hemingway in the seventh. Wylie projects to be a useful slot WR, while Gray will add depth to a RB rotation that has seen its share of injuries over the past couple of seasons.

Apart from Poe, the Chiefs also added some depth to its defense in the later rounds of the draft. Alabama CB De’Quan Menzie was drafted in the fifth round, while San Diego State DT Jerome Long was drafted in the seventh. Menzie may be a step too slow to play CB at the NFL level, but has great instincts, and could be a candidate to move to safety. Long should push Poe and the rest of Kansas City’s underachieving defensive line.

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Gala at the Glen Charity Event for Cystic Fibrosis

Gala at the Glen for Cystic Fibrosis - Kansas City Charity Event by Kansas City News

Saturday night at Shadow Glen Country Club the "Gala at the Glen" Charity fundraiser was held for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of greater Kansas City.  Kansas City Cystic Fibrosis Chapter Board Member Beau Guyette headed this annual Kansas City charity event held at The Shadow Glen Country Club, and this year's charity gala was another HUGE success.

The Gala at the Glen charity event raised several thousand dollars this year that will go towards the advancement of Cystic Fibrosis research, patient care and hopefully an eventual cure.  Local Kansas City Chairman Beau Guyette gave a heart warming speech after dinner, highlighting the benefits of the Cystic Fibrosis organization and what it has done for millions of people including one of his young daughters.  The Gala on the Glen had a wonderful dinner, followed by entertainment by Kansas City dueling pianos, "The Dueling Piano Guys" , produced by Adam Blue Productions, who had everyone at the event on their feet and singing along.  The Dueling Piano Guys also generated over $1000.00 in tips which they donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The annual Kansas City charity event is one of the best galas of the year, and all that were in attendance that night had a wonderful time.  The patrons were very generous with their donations and they helped to make the Gala on the Glen a success for everyone, especially the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

More on The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation:

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. We fund more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support.

We are a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Our focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately to find a cure. by Kansas City News

"Gala at the Glen" Kansas City charity event - by Kansas City News

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Chiefs Select Dontari Poe In First Round - Kansas City News

The Chiefs took Dontari Poe with their first round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, addressing a need at nose tackle with a talented, but raw prospect. While Poe was projected to fall into the later portion of the first round, Scott Pioli felt that the Chiefs need for a NT was too high, and grabbed the former Memphis standout.

Poe is a bit of a mystery coming out of college. He had an insane combine, showing off strength and speed that would merit a high draft choice. Despite all the physical tools, Poe did not produce at a high level in college. Considering that Memphis plays in lowly Conference USA, that has to be somewhat concerning for Kansas City fans.

The big question now is did the Chiefs grab someone they could have gotten later? It is hard to say; after his extraordinary combine, many thought Poe would be a top 5 pick. However, after scouts dissected his college game and saw his on-field struggles, many thought he would fall to the 20-30 range. It is very possible that Pioli could have traded down 5-10 spots and still been able to select Poe, while picking up an extra second or third round pick in the process.

The Chiefs have had some big whiffs at defensive tackle in the past, and Kansas City fans have to be concerned with Poe’s lack of production in college. However, the team addressed a glaring weakness and nabbed a player that has all the physical tools to play at a high level in the NFL.

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Home Runs Help Royals End 12 Game Losing Streak

The Royals 12 game losing streak started with a home sweep at the hands of the Indians, so it was fitting that Kansas City ended its horrendous slide against the team that started it all. Backed by several key home runs, the Royals creamed the Indians 8-2, ending its 12 game losing streak and improving its record to 4-14 on the season.

The Royals relied on the long ball last night, and Kansas City’s big three delivered. Billy Butler started off the offensive barrage with a two run blast in the first, and later added a solo shot in the ninth. Eric Hosmer’s two-run home run in the fifth made it 4-0, while Alex Gordon belted a three run home run in the ninth to ensure the streak was over.

There is no way to sugar coat this win – things were getting beyond desperate for Kansas City and the Royals needed to get the monkey of their backs. Not only did the team pick up a much-needed win, but Butler, Gordon and Hosmer all should get a good deal of confidence after great days at the plate. Luke Hochevar also pitched very well, giving Royals fans hope that he can produce the way he did after the All-Star break last season.

Kansas City wraps up its series with Cleveland today before traveling to Minnesota to begin a three game series with the Twins. Luis Mendoza (0-2) will start for the Royals, while Josh Tomlin (1-1) will get the nod for the Indians.

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How Does Ryan Tannehill Affect The Chiefs Draft Strategy - Kansas City News

Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has made several headlines recently with his comments on Kansas City’s draft strategy. First, Pioli made it known to the press that the Chiefs were strongly considering taking Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, then Pioli followed those comments up by mentioning that he would like to draft a quarterback ever year. If Tannehill does fall to the Chiefs, they will have several options.

Quarterbacks have fallen in drafts before, and Tannehill could certainly be available when the Chiefs are on the clock with the 12th selection in the first round. In 2005, Aaron Rodgers fell all the way to 24 in the 2005 NFL draft before the Packers took a chance on him, and obviously that worked out well for Green Bay. You need a championship-caliber quarterback to win titles, and Matt Cassel hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence. While the Chiefs have other needs, Tannehill may be too good for Pioli to pass up.

The Chiefs may also trade up to ensure they get Tannehill. While this seems unlikely, Pioli may get an opportunity to trade picks to move up and get his quarterback of the future. While the Chiefs have a few holes, they could address them later in the draft or via free agency.

If Tannehill is available when the Chiefs select, Kansas City may also opt to trade down to get additional picks later in the draft. Pioli may decide to stick with Cassel now and find a quarterback of the future next year or in the later rounds of the draft. Teams will be interested in Tannehill, and the Chiefs could use that to their advantage. Several players that Kansas City could use at NT, LB or OL may still be available later in the first round, and trading down will give the Chiefs an opportunity to build more depth.
Tannehill may likely be gone by the time Kansas City makes its first round selection, but it appears that he could be a significant factor in Pioli’s draft strategy. Will Kansas City find its QB of the future, or move up or down the board? We will know Thursday evening.

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