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Dion Jordan? May want to to think about getting to know him. Oregon held its pro day on Thursday, with Dion Jordan, Oregon's pass rusher, drawing a lot of attention. Not because he was working out -- he had shoulder surgery recently so he stood on his Combine numbers and didn't work out -- but because the Kansas City Chiefs, who hold the top pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, sent a heck of a contingent to Eugene for the pro day, which included head coach Andy Reid, GM John Dorsey and the entire defensive staff. This according to The Godfather Gil Brandt. All that was missing was an appearance from the owner.
You know what this also means? The Chiefs brass did not attend Geno Smith's pro day at West Virginia. "High-ranking" officials from the Chiefs were said to be in Morgantown for that pro day, but Reid and Dorsey were in the better college town Eugene. So the Chiefs were represented at West Virginia ... just not the top two decision-makers.
When your head coach, GM and entire defensive staff attend a pro day, you gotta think this it's to watch a player who will be drafted high. Like Jordan, who is considered a top 10 pick by many. He was expected to meet with Andy Reid, according to Tony Pauline.
Jordan's an interesting case. He's a pass rusher, an outside linebacker in the Chiefs 3-4 defense but part of his allure is he can line up in multiple spots and do multiple things -- rushing the passer from a linebacker spot or his hand in the dirt, covering tight ends and receivers and moving all over the defense. He came in at 6'6 and 248 pounds at the Combine.
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Dan Kadar of Mocking The Draft writes that the possibilites are endless for a guy like Jordan, who defensive coordinators would probably love.
The biggest pros to Jordan's game are his upside and his versatility. This is just Jordan's third season playing defensive end after coming to Oregon as a tight end. He can stand up and play in space as a rush linebacker, but he also has the frame to add some weight and become a dominant 4-3 end. The possibilities are plenty if a creative defensive coordinator gets his hands on Jordan.
Oregon's offense was extremely fast which means Jordan played lighter than what his NFL weight will be. You can't be heavy and play in Chip Kelly's offense. But his weight is a concern for physicality and durability reasons. If you're picking No. 1, you have to be a three-down player. And the only thing worse than an NFL draft bust? An NFL draft bust who can't stay healthy. Those are two concerns about Jordan that you have to be right on.
He often gets completely washed out in the running games. On occasion, Jordan has allowed himself to be blocked by wide receivers far too easily. As a tackler, Jordan has a ways to go. He can lay the wood on ball carriers, but too often takes sloppy angles or fails to wrap up. A disappointing number of tackles slipped through his arms this season.
We haven't talked about the Chiefs taking a pass rusher because they have Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. But if KC selects someone like Jordan at No. 1, one of those two guys isn't gonna be here for the long-term. We haven't been including pass rusher on the Chiefs list of needs, so we've been thinking it's not a need. But the positions of high value are always quarterbacks, those who protect the quarterbacks (left tackle) and those who rush the quarterbacks. Those are the positions that often go this high in the draft.
Of course, it's also possible the Chiefs are there to see someone else. We have no idea who they're focusing on. Considering the contingent of folks they sent, we're just assuming it's for a high pick. But there's also Oregon's Kiko Alonso, an inside linebacker projected to go in the mid-rounds. That would fit a need.
The latest:
Read this Sean Smith scouting report