The Kansas City Chiefs have shown some interest in a pass rusher that will be selected high in the 2012 NFL draft. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the Chiefs are one of several teams who have worked out Syracuse DE/OLB Chandler Jones, who is expected to be a first or second round pick in next April's draft.
Jones is 6'5" and weighs 266 pounds so he could translate to an outside linebacker in the Chiefs 3-4 scheme. He's also drawn interest from a 4-3 team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones' brother, Jon, is a star in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which means his training is a little unique.
"It emphasizes football," Chandler Jones said. "It's the fourth quarter or late in the third quarter and you're down and you have to make that big play. Your hands are the first thing you use to shed a block and get that guy off you. You need to have faster hands than the guy across from you. It's a huge help doing mixed martial arts."
Another guy who does really well with his hands? Tamba Hali. If you've ever gotten into Arrowhead Stadium hours before the game starts, you'll see Hali out there working on his hands with Master Joe Kim. It's obviously a training exercise the Chiefs know works considering Tamba's success.
I rarely say the Chiefs shouldn't draft a pass rusher because that's one of the most important parts of a defense but I do like the talent the Chiefs currently have at outside linebacker in Hali and Justin Houston.
Would you be opposed to drafting someone like Jones with, let's say, the Chiefs second round pick?