+4
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015
+
PAGE 7
Kansas City Chiefs' draft picks fill needed voids
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
The 2015 NFL draft is officially in the books and the Kansas City Chiefs have a whole new selection of rookies who fans hope will help their team. The Chiefs came into the draft holding needs at cornerback, safety, offensive line, wide receiver and defensive line. Kansas City was able to fill most of those needs.
ROUND ONE, PICK 18:
MARCUS PETERS, CORNERBACK
FROM WASHINGTON
VITAL STATS: 6-foot, 197 pounds. Totaled 129 tackles, 11 interceptions and one touchdown in his three-year college career. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash time and recorded a 37.5-inch vertical at the NFL Combine.
Peters is an interesting case study. He was dismissed from the Washington Huskies football program after nine games in 2014 for allegedly getting into disagreements with his coaches. If he has rehabilitated his character, he is a fantastic pick for the Chiefs. Peters is an aggressive,
shutdown cornerback who plays with an attitude. In 2014, he held Jaelen Strong, one of the top wide receiver prospects from Arizona State, to only two catches. With the 18th pick, the Chiefs may have stolen the best corner in the entire 2015 NFL draft class.
ROUND TWO, PICK 49: MITCH MORSE, OFFENSIVE LINEMAN FROM MISSouri
VITAL STATS: 6-foot-5, 305 pounds. 5.14 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine.
The Chiefs desperately needed a center after losing starter Rodney Hudson to the Oakland Raiders in free agency. Although they may have overpaid for him, Morse can fill that void. He is a smart offensive lineman who can play every position on the offensive line. Still, with top offensive weapon prospects like Jaelen Strong and Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams still on the board, the Chiefs could possibly have made a better selection with this pick.
ROUND THREE, PICK 76: CHRISE
CONLEY, WIDE RECEIVER
FROM GEORGIA
VITAL STATTS: 6-foot-2,
213 pounds. Totaled 117
receptions, 1,938 yards and
20 touchdowns in his four-year
college career. Conley ran a
4.35 40-yard dash time and
recorded a 45-inch vertical (for
reference, Andrew Wiggins
recorded a 44-inch vertical) at
the NFL Combine.
Heading into the draft, the Chiefs needed a wide receiver. Conley is an athletic freak who uses his incredible speed to get open and blow past receivers. With a 45-inch vertical leap, he can go up and grab jump balls with ease. Conley can develop into a great No.2 wide receiver for the Chiefs in the years to come.
ROUND THREE, PICK 34: STEVEN
NELSON, CORNERBACK FROM
OREGON STATE
VITAL STATS: 5-foot-10, 197 pounds. Totaled 122 tackles and eight interceptions in his four-year college career. Ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and recorded a 34.5-inch vertical leap at the NFL Combine.
The Chiefs added another physical and aggressive cornerback in the third round.
Nelson displays a closing burst of speed and can consistently contest passes. He is also a very good tackler for his size.
ROUND FOUR, PICK 19:
RAMIK WILSON, LINEBACKER
FROM GEORGIA
VITAL STATES: 6-foot-2, 237 pounds. Totaled 253 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss and six sacks throughout his college career. Ran a 4.77 40-yard dash and recorded a 35-inch vertical leap at the NFL Combine.
The Chiefs desperately needed a linebacker after allowing opponents to rush for an average of 4.7 yards in 2014. Wilson is productive and a big hitter. As a three-year starter, he has the experience to be an early impact player for Kansas City.
ROUND FIVE, PICK 36:
DJ. ALEXANDER, LINEBACKER
FROM DREGON STATE
VITAL STATS: 6-foot-2, 233 pounds. Totaled 183 tackles, 20.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks in 32 starts,
The second player the Chiefs selected out of Oregon State,
Alexander will add linebacker depth for the Chiefs. Alexander is very fast for his size and is an impact special teams player, totaling eight special teams tackles in 2012.
ROUND FIVE, PICK 37:
JAMES O'SHAUGHNESS, TIGHT
END FROM LLINOIS STATE
VITAL STATS: 6-foot-4, 237 pounds. Totaled 67 receptions, 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns throughout his college career.
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith needs all the offensive weapons he can get. O'Shaughnessy is a good one. He is athletic and can challenge defenses vertically. He has good hands and is a willing blocker; he should pair well with Kansas City's emerging star tight end Travis Kelce.
ROUND SIX, PICK 41:
RAKEE MUNEZ-ROCHES,
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN FROM
SOUTHERN MISSISSBII
VITAL STATS: 6-foot-2, 307 pounds. Totaled 103 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks throughout his college career. Ran a 5.02 40-yard
dash time and recorded a 34-inch vertical leap at the NFL Combine.
The Chiefs need a defensive tackle who can give third-year nose tackle Dontari Poe a rest. Nunez-Roches can do that. He is a powerful pass rusher who plays hard every game and possesses above-average agility and balance for his position.
ROUND SEVEN, PICK 16:
DA'RON BROWN,
WIDE RECEIVER
FROM NORTHERN ILLINOIS
VITAL STATS: 6-foot, 205 pounds. Totaled 155 receptions, 2,295 yards and 19 touchdowns throughout his college career. Ran a 4.54 40-yard dash time and recorded a 37-inch vertical leap at the NFL Combine.
The Chiefs closed out their 2015 draft class by adding another wide receiver for quarterback Alex Smith. Brown knows how to get open and has good hands. Although he is small for the position, he contests catches very well.
— Edited by Lane Cofas
ΔNNA WFNNFR/KANSAN
Kansas offense continues to struggle at the plate
WESLEY DOTSON
@WesleyDee23
Outfielder Connor McKay throws a caught ball back to the pitcher in the final minutes of the game.
The Kansas Jayhawks' offense has certainly been the biggest bright spot for most of the season. The team's batting average of .278 ranks fourth in the Big 12. But as of late, they have undoubtedly had their struggles at the plate.
Kansas has now dropped four of its past five games, and a big part of that has been the lack of offense. Since April 26, the Jayhawks have been outscored by their opponents 31-17.
Freshman Matt McLaughlin has been a strong presence in the lineup this season, but he came into Sunday's game against Baylor hitless in his last 18 at-bats.
Senior Blair Beck has had similar troubles at the plate, producing only two hits in his past six games, leading up to Sunday.
Junior Tommy Mirabelli and senior Justin Protocio are also struggling offensively. Mirabelli recorded a hit Sunday, but it was his first since April 24. Protocio has only recorded one since April 26.
"I wish I didn't have to pull this many left-handers today," coach Ritch Price said after Sunday's 14-4 loss. "But with Colby Wright being out with his injury, I've got to play the two left-handed hitting infielders [Protocio and Mirabelli], and both guys are really struggling."
"It's been two weeks of him [Beck] struggling," Price said. "And when you've got Protocacio struggling, [Beck] struggling and then you mix in Mirabelli struggling on the
For the Jayhawks to get back on track, they will need the offense to get back to where it has been for most of the season.
Beck finally showed signs of breaking out of his slump Sunday with his seventh home run of the season. He ended up with two hits on the day.
"The only way we are going to win is if Connor McKay and Blair Beck and Dakota Smith and Michael Tinsley
other side of the plate, we're not going to win."
One Jayhawk who has stayed red-hot is senior Connor McKay, who extended his on-base streak to 35 games on Sunday with a single.
... those guys have to be impact players," Price said.
"When three of those guys are struggling in one weekend, we're not going to score. And you saw it this weekend."
The Jayhawks will have to start hitting better as a team against Northwestern and TCU this week in order to win.
— Edited by Kayla Schartz
+