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Well, it is the Kansas City Chiefs after all. The front office of general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid decided to pick Auburn defensive end / outside linebacker Dee Ford with the No. 23 overall pick.
Related: Tamba Hali responds to Dee Ford selection
He is an outside linebacker
Reid: we r gonna teach him to play olb like Tamba. A third down nickle guy #chiefs
— Bob Fescoe (@bobfescoe) May 9, 2014
At 6'2 and 252 pounds, Ford is a bit undersized even for an outside linebacker. He will likely not make much of an impact in his first season, learning behind both Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. After this season, Hali could be released to save a ton of money against the cap, giving Ford a spot to step into. That seems like the most logical path for him to get on the field.
At his pro day, Ford ran a 4.53 40-yard dash time and bench-pressed 225 pounds 29 times, per NFL.com. Ford is considered a very similar player to Missouri's Kony Ealy, who the Chiefs decided to bypass despite him being in their backyard.
Surprised the Chiefs picked him
Talking w Dee Ford: not surprised I'm a first round pick but I'm surprised it was KC #chiefs
— Bob Fescoe (@bobfescoe) May 9, 2014
Better than Jadeveon Clowney?
Ford made a name for himself at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis back in February when he proclaimed he is a better player than No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney.
"I'm better," Ford said, according to AL.com. "Let's just put it like this: People like to talk about size all the time. Size is pretty much overrated in my eyes. You can look at Robert Mathis, Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller. These are 6-2 guys and under. People are just looking at the fact that he's a physical specimen. It really don't matter. Honestly, if you watch the film, he plays like a blind dog in a meat market basically."
The stats
Last year, Ford amassed 14.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks for the Tigers, helping them reach the National Championship game before losing to the Florida State Seminoles. Both those led the team. In his career, Ford has 27.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks.
Mocking The Draft says ...
From Dan Kadar: "At Auburn, Ford played almost exclusively with his hand in the dirt. He was a pass rushing terror coming from his right end spot. Ford knows what he is as a player: an undersized pass rush specialist. Knowing that, Ford mastered three pass rush moves in college. He's a lot more than simply just a bull rusher or a speed rusher. Ford has technique. He understands pacing as a pass rusher. Ford is capable of playing linebacker. He told me that's pretty much the only thing he's worked on leading up to the draft. He did it some at the Senior Bowl, where he was a real star."
Read Dan's interview with Ford here.
Fans reaction
Frankly, it is an underwhelming pick from the standpoint that Marqise Lee was still on the board and could have provided an immediate difference. Instead, Kansas City opted for depth. On the flipside, Ford has the potential to be another pass-rusher, something you can never have enough of when you face Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers four times per season.
"High motor" guy
Reid: Ford has an "extremely high motor on the football field. You can't have enough pass rushers.''
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) May 9, 2014
Chiefs felt strong about him (I hope so)
Reid: we identified him a while back Dorse felt strong about him #draftdaycliche
— Bob Fescoe (@bobfescoe) May 9, 2014