The Kansas City Chiefs are not a very good football team.
They need help just about anywhere and everywhere. I am told quarterback is a mildly important position, so the selection of Geno Smith would likely help them. Protecting the quarterback’s blindside has also been rumored to be a good idea, so either of the left tackles Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher would be a nice addition, I would think.
But there is one phrase people keep saying that seems really important to me. It is this constantly spoken idea that “defense wins championships.” And even though the Chiefs seem to really suck, I assume they still want to win a championship. So it sounds like a solid plan to get a good defensive player. Statistics indicate to me that the Chiefs could use some defensive help at every position on that side of the ball.
So, Kansas City Chiefs, I got you. I am no expert, but I have formulated a plan for your improvement: Draft Dion Jordan.
If you need improvement at every slot of defense — and you do — go and get the guy who can play just about anywhere. This guy is equal parts speed, strength and awareness, something of a panacea for even the worst defensive ailments. At Oregon he played in a down-stance, rushing at the quarterback from the burst-friendly stance. He also played from an upright stance at the outside linebacker position, again tracking the passer as well as flying sideline to sideline to destroy opponents. As a Duck, he even waited out in the slot and rarely out wide to defend receivers. How does he match up virtually everywhere?
Jordan is 6-foot-6, almost 250 pounds, with 3.8 percent body fat. Yikes. He played receiver in high school and was even set to catch passes at Oregon until coaches switched him to defensive end. He rose from a back-up to a phenom in Eugene, and between the end of his career at UO and now, his draft stock has continued to soar.
Recently, ESPN’s sports science ran tests on Jordan and determined that he measured in the same caliber department as NFL studs DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney.
Pundits want to put Jordan in a positional category and slot him in the defensive scheme they think he is best suited for. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter where Jordan plays. He has the type of talents and genetic gifts to succeed in improving a defense.
When it comes to measuring draft prospects, all the physical attributes are considered, the statistical history is accounted for, even interviews and Wonderlic tests are administered. But in Jordan, there is an X factor that, at least in my book, boosts his quality ten-fold.
When I profiled Jordan last year, I came to learn about a guy with insane work ethic and an unstoppable drive. This is a man who came back from burn injuries that not only temporarily derailed his athletic career but also threatened his life. He came back from the accident that almost claimed his life to become an insanely versatile football player, who has continually proved there is no cap on his potential.
Unknowns are often something teams would want to steer clear of in the NFL Draft. Jordan is a relative unknown, but in a good way. It is entirely a mystery as to how much better Jordan could get. Where he stands now is deserving of a high pick, but he has proven time and again that he can keep getting better. The Chiefs could play it safe on filling voids with other prospects, but Jordan has way too much potential to pass on.