One of the more intriguing pass rush prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft is West Virginia's Bruce Irvin. After dropping out of high school and getting his GED, Irvin took the JuCo route to the college ranks and gave West Virginia one of the best sack artists in college football over the last two seasons. HIs limited experience and lean frame at 6-3, 245 lbs. knocks him down some mock draft boards, but it's hard to ignore his production.
Apparently the Chiefs have seen enough game tape to warrant a closer look. Some questions arose about Justin Houston last offseason as well, but the Chiefs took a flier in the third round. By year's end, Houston had 5.5 sacks in his last five games. Dan Pompei of the National Football Post reports this morning that Irvin will visit the Chiefs for a personal workout along with 11 other teams:
He is appealing both the 3-4 teams as an outside linebacker and 4-3 teams as a defensive end. Among the teams he is visiting are the Bears, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, Forty Niners, Jets, Panthers, Patriots, Texans and Titans. Part of the reason so many want to see him is coaches want to put him on the board and watch tape with him, and have a chance to see what makes him tick.
Last year, Irvin had 8 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. In 2010, he was second in the nation with 14 sacks. That kind of production will help teams overlook a number of potential concerns.