Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 4/27

Chiefs Draft TE Kelce, RB Davis In NFL Draft's Third Round from KC Star

The Chiefs added two more offensive players in Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce and Arkansas running back Knile Davis as the NFL Draft continued Friday night. But the bigger news was the offensive player they retained.

The Chiefs' effort to send discontented left tackle Branden Albert to the Miami Dolphins in return for a second-round draft pick failed, and the day ended with Albert still on the roster. Unless the Chiefs lower their asking price for Albert or accept a future draft pick, Albert is destined to remain in Kansas City.

"He's a good football player and can help our team out," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

Chiefs Select TE Travis Kelce With 63rd Pick from The Mothership

"I feel comfortable lining up wherever the team needs me to line up. If coach Reid needs me to line up at fullback, tight end, quarterback, wideout or wherever I need to be to help the team out and help the guys in the locker room out, I'm willing to do whatever I've got to do," Kelce said.

Chiefs general manager John Dorsey was sold on the many skills Kelce brings to the table.

Chiefs Select RB Knile Davis With 96th Pick from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs used their 96th overall pick to select RB Knile Davis, from the University of Arkansas.

Davis (5'10", 227lbs) has the strength and speed that Chiefs RB coach Eric Bieniemy will put to great use.

Although injuries have slowed his seasons at times, when healthy, Davis is as good as advertised. He played in 10 games during the 2012 season, carrying the ball 112 times for 444 yards and two TDs.

KCChiefs.com Video: John Dorsey Sums Up Day 3

KCChiefs.com Video: Andy Reid On The 2nd Day Of The Draft

KCChiefs.com Video: Mike Mayock Likes Travis Kelce

KCChiefs.com Video: What Drives New Chiefs TE Travis Kelce?

KCChiefs.com Video: Travis Kelce Is Excited To Work With Coach Reid

KCChiefs.com Video: Eric Fisher Introductory Press Conference

KCChiefs.com Video: Eric Fisher One On One

How The Chiefs Decided On Fisher from The Mothership

"What we did is, we went along and we did this process and very early on we said it was going to be a process and we allowed everyone to have their say in this process and everyone to a man in this organization was on board with this one," Dorsey said of the decision on Fisher.

And the process included several tests, which Fisher passed with flying colors.

"As he went through the process(es), he began to show and separate himself and sure enough, he slowly separated himself at each one of the stops in the processes. The (regular) season, his stock rose up. He goes to the All-Star Game (Senior Bowl), it goes way up. He goes to the Combine, he tests out incredible; it continues to go up and then at the spring workouts, it continues to go up. That's what you're supposed to do and he's done it the right way."

Chiefs' Eric Fisher: 'It's Time To Work' from KC Star

Offensive tackle Eric Fisher received a glimpse of how his life would now be different when he boarded his flight Friday morning from New York to Kansas City.

He was stopped by the pilot as he walked by the cockpit, congratulated on being the first overall pick in this year's NFL Draft and asked to pose for a photo. He was congratulated by several Chiefs fans also on the flight.

For 22 years, Fisher could operate in relative anonymity outside of Mount Pleasant, Mich., home to Central Michigan University. Not anymore, and probably never again.

Whirlwind Tour Continues For Eric Fisher

As far as his previous knowledge of the Chiefs and Kansas City in general, the number-one overall pick is proving that he's a quick learner.

"The biggest thing I have heard is about the barbeque and on top of that even, just the fans. I heard the fans are just awesome. You couldn't play for better fans. Coming out to a Sea of Red, I can't imagine what that is going to be like. It's something I'm really looking forward to this fall."

Fisher likely received no shortage of calls and/or text messages after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name; one such call came from Chiefs QB Alex Smith.

Hunt's Feeling's On Chiefs' Draft Ranged From Cursed To Confident from KC Star

"At the end of the season I certainly had those thoughts," Hunt, the Chiefs chairman, said Friday. "I was like, ‘Why could this have not been last year when there were the quarterbacks sitting there (and) we had a need at the quarterback position?'

"When we were able to pull off the trade on Alex Smith, really for me that issue went away. We ended up getting a first overall quarterback. He just happened to have been taken (eight) years ago. We were able to trade for him with a second-round pick this year. Then with what we did in free agency we were able to address a lot of our needs and put ourselves in the position where we could take the best available player. We didn't have to draft somebody to come fill a hole here or there. We were able to take the guy John Dorsey thought would be the best for the Kansas City Chiefs in the long run.

"So, actually, it turned from being a little bit of a negative to very much of a positive because we were going to be able to get a player (in Fisher) who would help us not only this year but down the road. It wasn't a typical year like last year, where there was maybe an obvious pick, a consensus pick. But the guys did a great job and I think they ended up with the best available player."

The Trade That Made The Franchise from The Mothership

Anybody who's taken the time to know anything about Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt knows that he was about as far from a meddling team owner as you can find today. Today's owners meddle - if that's the right word for someone who as owner has every right to do as he chooses - all the time in trades and player moves. Think Jerry Jones, who does hold the title of GM, of course, or Washington's Dan Snyder. Even Bud Adams, late of Houston, now of Tennessee, reportedly pushed for the drafting of Texas quarterback Vince Young from the University of Texas.

So, Lamar Hunt was different. But once, just once, Hunt became involved in a trade and following that one occasion, he quickly stepped back from that role, maybe because he believed he could never top it.

Will Branden Albert Stay With Kansas City Chiefs? from NFL.com

The Dolphins selected Boise St. cornerback Jamar Taylor with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft on Friday night. That means they didn't send the pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Albert. Unless the Chiefs drastically lower their trade demands, it appears Albert will stay in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have said all along that they believe Albert is a quality offensive tackle and they wouldn't just give him away.

Kansas City Chiefs Seek Good Play For Good Business from Kansas City Business Journal

Donovan pointed to the Chief's relationship with Hy-Vee Inc. as an example of the impact the team's winning and losing can have on the business of a sponsor.

"You can literally track our record in their sales," Donovan said. "On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, you can see if the Chiefs won or lost without seeing the score of the game. That's power."

Donovan said he sees that type of power as humbling and something to respect. So the Chiefs are trying to focus more of their energy on knowing each of their partners and ensure both parties get the most our of the relationship. To do that, the team whittled down the number of partners that it has.

Chiefs' Fisher Feeling Welcome In Kansas City from The Associated Press via The Winona Daily News

Reality set in for Fisher on Thursday night, when the Kansas City Chiefs made him just the third offensive tackle taken first overall since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

And reality set in for Langegger when she sent an email to her boss in human resources at Volkswagen, where she's spent the past 33 years working in the warranty department.

"I have to say, it hasn't set in yet," said Langegger, who will retire at the end of June. "This is something that happens to other people. We're just regular, blue-collar, hard-working people. This is something that happens to others. It's really Eric's dream coming to reality."

Eric Fisher Arrives In Kansas City from KCTV5

During the news conference, the offensive tackle was already looking forward to the first time he'll step out into Arrowhead when it's packed with fans.

"I can't imagine what it's going to be like running out this fall to that crowd," Fisher said. "I heard the fans here are just awesome and you couldn't play for better fans. Coming out to a sea of red, I can't imagine what that's going to be like."

NFL Draft: Chiefs Knew 2 Weeks Ago Eric Fisher Was Their Guy, But They Couldn't Get A Hold Of Him from The Associated Press via KSHB

The Kansas City Chiefs began to realize about two weeks ago that Central Michigan's Eric Fisher would be their choice with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.

The only reason they used up the 10 minutes allotted them Thursday night? The offensive tackle's cellphone kept cutting out inside New York City's Radio City Music Hall.

"We waited a while because we had a hard time getting ahold of him," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said with a smile. "The phone was dying. That was the reason for waiting."

UC's Kelce Taken By Chiefs In Third Round from Cincinnati.com

"What I like about him, he's got pretty good run after the catch ability," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said in a pre-draft teleconference. "This is a kid that when he snags that ball and gets in the open field, with his size and his athleticism he can do some damage."

Kelce, on a conference call Friday night with Kansas City reporters, said he missed his sophomore year at UC because of a failed marijuana test. Kelce called it, "A one-time thing. I haven't touched it since."

Chiefs' No. 1 Pick Eric Fisher Pays Back Mom In Big Way from USA Today

Langegger stood against a wall in the atrium of the Kansas City Chiefs' training facility Friday afternoon, 18 hours after the Chiefs made her son the No. 1 pick in the draft.

She watched as he conducted interviews, patiently moving from one local television station to another. This may only be Fisher's first visit to Kansas City, but he knew how to win over the fan base - praise the city's famous barbecue.

High School Coach 'So Proud' Of Top NFL Pick Eric Fisher from The Detroit Free Press

Calvin Gross and eight of his former football assistants from Rochester Hills Stoney Creek High School gathered around the television Thursday night knowing former player Eric Fisher was going to be drafted high by an NFL team.

They didn't know how high. As it turned out, they didn't have to wait long.

The big offensive lineman from Central Michigan University was the No. 1 overall pick by Coach Andy Reid (an offensive lineman's dream) and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Central Michigan Fan Celebrates Eric Fisher Going No. 1 from The New York Times

The 6-foot-7, 306-pound Fisher entered his senior season with little fanfare. He was a third-team all-Mid-American Conference selection as a junior. He was hardly a household name, even to those in the greater Mount Pleasant area. Now, after leading the Chippewas to a victory in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in December, Fisher will be counted on to protect the blind side of Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, a former No. 1 overall pick himself.

To have a player from my alma mater picked anywhere in the N.F.L. draft was worth a pat on the back from privileged friends who root for "major" football programs. But first over all? Central had a better chance of producing Mr. Irrelevant, the last player chosen.

Branden Albert Trade Between Dolphins, Chiefs Off? from Sports Illustrated

The Chiefs used the No. 1 overall pick on tackle Eric Fisher, who will take over one of the team's two tackle spots. Should Kansas City opt to just hold onto Albert, Andy Reid would have a sensational set of bookends on his offensive line - and that's despite the Chiefs cutting Eric Winston earlier in the offseason.

Chiefs Choose Knile Davis In 3rd Round Of NFL Draft from KFSM

Everyone expected one Arkansas player to be selected on the second night of the NFL Draft. Not many thought it would be Knile Davis. With the 96th pick the Kansas City Chiefs chose Davis, the sixth running back taken in the draft.

Davis's career at Arkansas saw many highs and lows.

Andy Reid Goes Extremely Casual On Draft Night from The Post Game

Andy Reid, the new head man of the Kansas City Chiefs, was shown on Thursday night sitting in the team's war room in what can be best described as a casual shirt. Amidst a sea of executives wearing suits, Reid donned his trademark Hawaiian shirt.

Four Years After Giving Up Football To Pursue Hoops, Demetrius Harris May Yet Reach The NFL from Yahoo! Sports

To Demetrius Harris, the voice message sounded suspiciously like a practical joke.

A man whose voice the Wisconsin-Milwaukee power forward didn't recognize dialed his cell phone in late March and introduced himself as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. The scout asked Harris to contact him as soon as possible if the 6-foot-6, 237-pound senior had any interest in trading his high tops for football cleats.

"I had no idea this was coming," Harris recalled. "I listened to the message like five times. I was like, 'I can't believe it. I don't think this is real.'"

Chiefs Added Offense In The Third Round from ESPN

After taking left tackle Eric Fisher with the No. 1 overall pick Thursday, the Chiefs -- who didn't have a pick in the second round because of the trade for quarterback Alex Smith -- stayed focused on offense in Friday's third round. They took Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce with the round's first pick (63rd overall) and Arkansas running back Knile Davis with its 34th (96th overall).

Both players are boom-or-bust types.

This NFL Draft Should Come With A Snooze Button from The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel

1. Central Michigan had the No.1 player in the country. Who knew? And why weren't they playing Alabama for the BCS title?

2. Fisher is an offensive tackle. That's about as thrilling to the average fan as NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock talking about middle third-round picks and their upsides. (Don't worry, parents. The only show those on cable.)

3. The Kansas City Chiefs. When were they last relevant to any NFL discussion? I think bell bottoms were in style and KC & the Sunshine Band were everyone's favorite movers and shake-shake-shakers.

Travis Kelce Of Cleveland Heights Is Third-Round Pick Of KC Chiefs from The Cleveland Plain Dealer

The appearance of unfamiliar digits on Travis Kelce's cell phone accelerated his pulse and slightly increased his breathing.

It was just before the start of the third round of the NFL Draft and Kelce, a native of Cleveland Heights, was sure it was the life-changing call.

"My heart started jumping when my cellphone started ringing," said Kelce, a tight end for the University of Cincinnati. "I answered it and it was [Kansas City Chiefs] coach Andy Reid. It was a dream come true to get the call, but it quickly became reality because this is all a business and now I have a responsibility to fill. And I can't wait."

Kansas City: Why Going There Is No Curse from The Wall Street Journal

So there's the pitch, delivered in a city whose attractions usually exceed modest expectations. The city is large enough to fill 80,000 seats at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoons, yet small enough to feel forever grateful to those who wow the nation in a Kansas City uniform, explaining why long-retired Len Dawson and George Brett still live there. Maybe Fisher will become a local hero. Just a long pass from Arrowhead Stadium, after all, is Kauffman Stadium, a monument-however fleeting-to the idea that anything's possible. Kauffman, of course, is home to the current American League Central leaders, the Kansas City Royals, a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 1985.