Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 4/28

Good morning! We have reactions to yesterday's picks and a few looks at what might be ahead in today's draft. The Chiefs have picks 107, 146, 182, 218, and 238 today. Here is your Kansas City Chiefs news. Enjoy.

The collective NFL experience of their four offensive-line backups is two games, a statistic that obviously made the Chiefs uneasy.

They moved to bolster their line depth Friday night by selecting Jeff Allen of Illinois in the second round and Donald Stephenson of Oklahoma in the third round.

Chiefs Add To Offensive Line On Day Two Of NFL Draft from KC Star

A run on offensive linemen began shortly before the Chiefs choice in the second round. Three of the four picks preceding Kansas City's selection were used on offensive tackles.

Pioli was looking for versatility when Amini Silatolu of Midwestern State went to the Panthers, Georgia's Cordy Glenn went to the Bills and Stanford's Jonathan Martin was selected by the Dolphins.

"We started talking to people about possibly moving up because we knew we wanted Jeff Allen," Pioli said. "Then tackles started going and we were saying, ‘OK, he's going to go at some point in time,' but we saw some of the prices that people were asking and it was like, ‘Whoa, wait a second here. Yesterday there were people moving in the first round not even looking for that.'

Chiefs Continue To Beef-Up On Draft's Second Day from The Mothership

NFL.com Video: Chiefs War Room Drafts Poe

NFL.com Video: Chiefs Pick Jeff Allen No.44

With his anchor strength, big hands and two‐gap ability, Poe has the "motor" to collapse the pocket and more than enough leg drive to walk blockers back into the quarterback or quickly neutralize lead blockers trying to widen the rush lanes. While he certainly can be a dominant force occupying multiple blockers as a nose guard, teams must also consider utilizing that initial quickness he displays as an "under" tackle in a 4‐3 alignment or having him seal off the outside running paths as an end in a 3‐4 scheme.

NT Dontari Poe - Draft Recap - Round 1 from The Mothership

For the second consecutive season, Allen was a second-team All-Big Ten Conference choice and named the team's Outstanding Offensive Lineman. He repeated his 2010 total with fourteen touchdown-resulting blocks, improving his knockdown total to a career-high 102. A member of ESPN's All-Bowl Team, he helped the Illini finish with 355.69 yards in total offense and 171.69 yards rushing per game.

OL Jeff Allen - Bio Chiefs 2012 2nd Round Pick from The Mothership

Stephenson visited the Chiefs earlier this month, and during his time at the team's practice facility, he talked with general manager Scott Pioli about his future - and about his love for the Chiefs. Eddie Kennison and Dante Hall visited Central High while Stephenson was there, and it was during those times that he imagined someday playing at Arrowhead Stadium. It became more likely after Stephenson left an impression on Pioli.

"I thought about it a lot," Stephenson said. "I thought about all the situations it would bring. I looked at it, and nothing but good, really, for me can come out of it. I'm at home; I'm around my family, a good support system, and I feel like it's the best situation for me."

Stephenson Comes Full Circle With Selection By Chiefs from KC Star

As soon as Donald Stephenson's named was announced as the Chiefs third-round draft pick, resounding thunder shook the foundation at the team facility. The boom may have been the only sound around Kansas City louder than the celebration coming from Stephenson's Blue Springs home.

"They went crazy in here," Stephenson said of his friends and family gathered to watch the draft.

"It's a great experience. I'm speechless. I love the Chiefs and have always loved them. To have a chance to play in my hometown is a dream come true."

Stephenson Comes "Home" from The Mothership

Are the Oakland Raiders still in the league?

They're in the league but weren't part of the draft until a compensatory choice at the end of the third round because expensive trades and supplemental picks cost Oakland its first-, second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round picks. How'd that Carson Palmer trade work out, anyway?

NFL Draft Blitz Package from KC Star

Poe, the Kansas City Chiefs' first round pick and the 11th overall selection in Thursday night's NFL Draft, is from a similar tough part of Memphis, Tenn., as the one Michael Oher grew up in.

But there was no Sandra Bullock character scooping Dontari Poe up on a rainy night, showing him a new life. There were no car rides with a spunky little brother, listening to "Bust a Move."

No, Poe's journey from Bluff City to Radio City was one that required patience, persistence and incredible perseverance.

It required focus and determination.

Poe Never Lost Focus En Rout To NFL from FOX Sports

For a franchise that's been safe, it's nice to see a little bit of risk. Poe is a freakish athlete, the kind of guy who somehow outperforms his own body type. Poe running at the NFL combine is a hard image to get out of one's mind. Men that large shouldn't be able to run that fast.

"My motivation is pretty much unlimited now," Poe told reporters in a conference call.

Going Big: The Kansas City Chiefs Take Defensive Tackle Dontari Poe In The NFL Draft from The Pitch

Unless there's an injury to one of the starting tackles, Stephenson's rookie season should be a developmental process. His role after that could depend on whether the Chiefs are successful in re-signing left tackle Branden Albert, whose contract is up after next year.

Kansas City Chiefs Draft Analysis: Second-Rounder Jeff Allen Will Provide Depth from SportingNews

Once again, the Chiefs chose to enhance quarterback Matt Cassel instead of replace him. Allen was taken over several players, including Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins. He could still end up with the Chiefs later in the draft, but the Allen pick shows the Chiefs are bent on giving Cassel the best possible offense he can have. Allen is known as an outstanding pass protector.

Chiefs Continue To Enhance Offense from ESPN

The young, upstart Chiefs were coming off a surprise 10-6 season where they won the division. Chiefs fans were on cloud nine. That is until the Ravens sent us all crashing back to earth. Despite having a lot of young talented play makers like Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe, Tamba Hali, and Eric Berry the Chiefs were no match for Baltimore in the trenches. Both the offensive and defensive lines were manhandled by the physical Ravens team.

Now fast forward to the Chiefs' 2012 draft class.

Chiefs 2012 Draft Class: Remember The Ravens Game from Arrowhead Addict

When offensive tackle Jeff Allen arrived at Illinois as a wide-eyed freshman four years ago, veteran Jon Asamoah was there to show him the ropes.

Looks like Asamoah will be doing the same thing in the NFL.

The Kansas City Chiefs picked the four-year starter from Illinois in the second round Friday night, and followed by selecting Oklahoma offensive tackle Donald Stephenson in the third round, building up depth for a unit that struggled mightily much of last season.

Illinois' Allen To Chiefs, Wilson To Patriots In Second Round Of NFL Draft from The Associated Press via The Bloomington Pantagraph

Kansas City took its second offensive lineman of the day at No. 74 in the form of Oklahoma tackle Donald Stephenson. He is a one-year starter who has a lot of potential. I think he is a developmental player who gives the Chiefs options if they don't want to re-sign left tackle Branden Albert after next season.

Wrapping Up AFC West's Third Round from ESPN

44. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Jeff Allen, Illinois -- Allen was a left tackle at Illinois but he grades better as a guard. The four-year starter could get a chance on the perimeter but he's a better athlete than his sloppy body would imply, and has potential to surprise as a solid, workmanlike blocker in the Jeff Backus mold.

Analyzing Rounds 2-3, Pick By Pick from CBS Sports

Frazier was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1976.

"They didn't say, 'Welcome to the Kansas City Chiefs,' " Frazier said. "They said, 'We hear you've got a bad attitude,' and it broke my heart. I said, 'What? Who told you that?'"

This was no secret, apparently.

"He wasn't performing well in camp and the Chiefs called me --- now, I'm in my first year with the Philadelphia Eagles," Vermeil said. "I traded two fourth-round picks for him, thinking I can help him become a pro athlete."

Listen To The Echoes from KRCG

Still, sometimes a player gets the wrong coach and looks undervalued. One example this year is Dontari Poe, the hulking defensive lineman who raced up draft boards after being ignored during a career at the college-football backwater of Memphis. He had just eight tackles-for-loss last season. On Thursday night, after the Kansas City Chiefs took him 11th overall, Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli noted that in 49% of his plays, the design of the defensive scheme made it literally impossible for him to record any sort of statistic.

A Guide To NFL Draft Sleepers from The Wall Street Journal

Also on hand as a presenter for one of the awards will be NFF board member Leroy Keyes, Purdue's two-time All-America running back, Heisman Trophy runner-up of 1967 and ‘68 and College Football Hall of Famer. Keyes, who played in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs before finishing his career as a coach and administrator at Purdue, will present the Bernie Flowers Award for Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football to Clay and Chris Oppy of Lafayette for their work with Dream Season, a program they created to provide experiential opportunities in football for people with special needs.

Sports Standouts To Appear At National Football Event from The Purdue Exponent

Safeties Sean Baker and Josh Howard, wide receiver Briggs Orsbon and center Kreg Hunter are the most likely Cardinals to be offered a chance...

...Orsbon said his agent informed him the Kansas City Chiefs have him ranked as a free-agent caliber receiver, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have asked for more videotape on him.

BSU Football Players Hope For NFL Opportunities from The Muncie Star Press

Ta'amu's top teams in order of most mentions by the media are: Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, and there are more but those are the top ones worth mentioning.

Ta'amu was projected as a second to fourth round pick and thus it is safe to assume that he will be picked in the early part of the fourth round.

Alameda Ta'amu: Where Could He Go In The NFL Draft? from The Husky Haul

Poe's another Pioli special that fans aren't sold on. Tyson Jackson's playing better. Cassel had a good season in 2010, but didn't land it. Besides being great in the gym, fans have no clue about the Chiefs' first pick.

We'll see. Maybe with time, Poe will make more sense. Just maybe Crennel's right when he says fans should be excited, too.

Poe Pick Leaves Chiefs Fans Up In Arms from The Examiner