SB Nation - Londen Fryar

Will the Chiefs Sign Any Rookie Mini-Camp Tryouts?

Chris Thorman — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:28:53 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Kansas City Chiefs running back Javarris Williams (40) worked alongside an unknown tryout running back during rookie camp at the team's football practice facility in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, May 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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Through some creative Internet sleuthing and Bob Gretz's blog, we've identified almost positively five of the six try out players from last weekend's rookie mini-camp at Arrowhead Stadium. They are QBs Drew Tate and Chase Patton, SS Glenn Williams, C Dominic Green, LB Bobby Abare and an unknown running back.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley said the team hoped to make a decision on some of these guys by last Monday. We haven't heard anything yet on whether or not any of the six made the team but then again, I don't think we would have heard any announcement by now anyway if a decision had been made. Such is the nature of the Pioli regime.

Let's check out these guys one at a time.

QB Drew Tate

One of the two quarterbacks the Chiefs invited to the rookie mini-camp, the 6 foot tall, 192 pound Tate started for three seasons at Iowa before being picked up by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Before his college and brief pro career, Tate was a high school standout from Baytown, TX, (Seriously) whose high school numbers are on par with Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy. The three of them share quite a few Texas high school football passing records.

Tate fared quite well while at Iowa, gaining notoriety in the 2005 Capital One Bowl when he made a game wining TD pass with no time left to beat the LSU Tigers.

Skip ahead to the about the 4:50 mark to see that pass.

He only stuck around St. Louis for about three weeks before being let go. After his 2007 release, Tate has been spending time playing in the CFL for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders.

Tate's lack of size (6' tall, 192 pounds) is likely the major reason he did not get drafted in 2007.

"In my opinion if Drew were two inches taller he would have been a third or fourth round selection in last week's NFL draft," said Roughriders general manager Eric Tillman. "He has a strong arm; he's mobile, intelligent, tough and super competitive."

I highly doubt Tate makes the roster with four QBs already on it.

QB Chase Patton

For those not aware, Chase Patton is the Matt Cassel of the 2009 NFL Draft class. Patton rode the bench at Missouri for 99% of his career, backing up Heisman finalist Chase Daniel in the process.

Patton has great size for an NFL QB - 6'4", 220 pounds. That size and potential is what has scouts at least interested in him as an undrafted free agent.

"You simply have to take a hard look at a guy who has those types of measurables at a big school," says one. "Because there's no set way to find a quarterback."

Like with Drew Tate, I don't think there is room on the Chiefs' roster for Patton to break through as a #3 quarterback. It's likely he wouldn't remain on the practice squad long either.

LB Bobby Abare

We covered Yale LB Bobby Abare just recently when I jumped the gun and called him one of our officially signed undrafted free agents. He would be a good special teams addition for the Chiefs.

Click here to read more on Abare.

SS Glenn Wiliams

I have to admit that my knowledge of Glenn Williams was non-existent before he entered the Chiefs rookie mini-camp. Safeties from Duke don't exactly get a lot of national attention.

The 5'10", 185 pound safety doesn't have a lot of ink on him either. By far the most info on him comes from Duke's web site. Williams was a four year starter who moved from cornerback to safety before the 2008 season. From what I can find on Williams, he seems to be a reliable, smart safety who just doesn't have that "next level" athelticism and talent.

C Dominic Green

This 6'3", 295 pound offensive linemen has that versatility thing going on for him, just like Pioli and Haley like. Green has started games at center, tackle and guard during his career with the University of Nevada WolfPack. He earned a number of pre-season distinctions before the 2008 season but ended the season on a pretty terrible note - by getting a DUI on December 12th, 2008.

Green was arrested and charged with DUI and driving with expired tags. He lost his captain spot for the WolfPack's upcoming Bowl game and he lost his scholarship.

***

The odds are very long for any of these five players to make the Kansas City Chiefs squad at the beginining of the 2009 season. The nearly complete rookie mini-camp attendee list is after the jump.

Thoughts on the chances any of these guys make the team?

Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Mini-Camp Attendees

Draft Picks	1st Year Players	UDFAs	Try-outs
DE Tyson Jackson	WR Rodney Wright	DT Dion Gales	QB Drew Tate
DT Alex Magee	G Edwin Harrison	DE Bobby Greenwood	QB Chase Patton
CB Donald Washington	LB Darrell Robertson	DB/WR Londen Fryar	LB Bobby Abare
OT Colin Brown	TE Jed Collins	LB Pierre Walters	SS Glenn Williams
RB Javarris Williams	DT Derek Lokey	WR Taurus Johnson	C Dominic Green
TE Jake O'Connell	G Tavares Washington	LB Jovan Belcher	Unknown RB
K Ryan Succup	LS Tanner Purdum	OT Cameron Goldberg
WR/KR Quinten Lawrence	*LS Thomas Gafford	S Ricky Price
		LB Corey Smith
		CB Jackie Bates
		TE Tom Crabtree
		G Darryl Harris

Poll

How many of the tryout players will the Chiefs sign?

0

117 votes

1

218 votes

2

176 votes

3

65 votes

4

36 votes

5

14 votes

6

14 votes

640 votes | Poll has closed

Tracking the Chiefs 2009 Undrafted Free Agents

Joel Thorman — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:25:57 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs were quick to target and sign some UDFAs within hours of the NFL Draft's conclusion last night. Here are the players we've bagged so far:

DT Dion Gales, Troy (6'7", 288 pounds)

LB, Bobby Abare, Yale (6'2", 220 pounds)

DE Bobby Greenwood, Alabama (6'5", 278 pounds)

DB/WR Londen Fryar, Western Michigan (5'11", 185 pounds)

LB Pierre Walters, Eastern Illinois (6'4", 265 pounds)

WR Taurus Johnson, South Florida (6'1", 190 pounds)

LB Jovan Belcher, Maine (6'3", 235 pounds)

OT Cameron Goldberg, Duke (6'4", 286 pounds)

S Ricky Price, Oklahoma St. (6'1", 195 pounds)

LB Corey Smith, Cincinnati (6'1", 225 pounds)

CB Jackie Bates, Hampton (5'10", 172 pounds)

Rumored Interest

DT Adam Hoppel, Cincinnati (6'2", 300 pounds)

P Chris Miller, Ball State

LB Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Michigan

K Jared Keating, Mesa State

G Matt Huners, South Florida

WR Thomas White, Baylor (6'2", 205 pounds)

TE Tom Crabtree, Miami (OH) (6'5", 255 pounds)

QB David Johnson, Tulsa (6'3", 220 pounds)

QB Chase Patton, Missouri (Camp invite)

This post will be updated with more signings. Leave any signings you come across in the comments.

Here are a few sites I check that are pretty good about getting these out:

Draft Daddy

Nebraska - Western Michigan Preview

Jon Johnston — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:00:08 -0000

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Mascot: Broncos
2007 Record (MAC): 5-7 (3-4; Tied for third in MAC West)
Coach: Bill Cubit (20-16 in 3 years at Western Michigan)
All-Time Series vs. Nebraska: First Ever Meeting
1-3 All-Time against Big 12 teams, the only win coming in 1994 against Iowa State.

2007 Stats
Offense
- Points/Game: 26.9 (65th)
- Total Offense: 398.0 (57th)
- Rush Yards/Game: 130.4 (86th)
- Pass Efficiency: 130.9 (46th)

Defense
- Points Allowed/Game: 28.9 (73rd)
- Total Defense: 399.3 (68th)
- Rush Yds. Allowed/Game: 179.1 (83rd)
- Pass Efficiency Defense: 120.9 (46th)

Players to Watch:

Offense:
- Junior Quarterback Tim Hiller, 3,021 yards last season with 20 TD's and 15 interceptions. Last year became the only sophomore in Western Michigan history to throw for over 3,000 yards. Started all 12 games last season.
- Junior Running Back Brandon West is the top returning rusher with 848 yards, 4 TD's. Finished second in receptions with 45 for 365. Also had 35 kick returns for 906 yards, a 25.9 average, including a 98 yarder for a TD against Finished 2007 with 2,119 all-purpose yards for a 176.6/game average. Named 2nd team All-Mac in 2007.
- Senior Wide Receive Jamarko Simmons was an All-MAC selection last year, finishing the season with 980 yards and 6 TD's.
- Senior tight end Branden Ledbetter, named third team All-MAC in 2007. Finished 2007 with 38 receptions and 550 yards, 6 TD's.

Defense:
- Senior defensive end Zach Davidson, tied for sack lead with 6.5. Named second-team All-MAC in 2007.
- Senior defensive end Greg Marshall, tied for sack lead with 6.5. Started all 12 games in 2007.
- Senior linebacker Boston McCornell, lead the team in tackles with 99 in 2007. Named second-team All-MAC last season. Started all 12 games last season.
- Senior cornerback Londen Fryar, named first-team All-MAC in 2007 for second straight season. Lead team with 16 pass break-ups.
- Senior free safety Louis Delmas, named second-team All-MAC in 2007 despite missing games due to injury. Potential NFL draft choice, second leading kick returner behind Brandon West.

Overview
Western Michigan has a gob of players returning (all 11 on defense) from a team that ended their 2007 season with the same record as Nebraska. Three of the Broncos losses came in horrifying fashion - giving up a kick return for touchdown after intentionally taking a safety with 15 seconds left against Akron, giving up a one yard TD with 1:07 left against Ball State, and giving up a TD to rival Central Michigan with :12 left.

The entire two deep returns on the Bronco defensive line, with a combined 108 starts between them, so the Husker offensive line will get an immediate test as to whether or not they can establish a running game against an experienced team. This will be the key to the game - can a talented and deep Nebraska line punish a talented and deep defensive line of Western Michigan, wearing them down by the end of the game and then pummeling them into submission?

Quarterback Hiller isn't particularly mobile and the Broncos lost four of their top offensive lineman from last season. Simmons is 6'2", 234 lbs, while tight end Ledbetter is 6'5", 230 lbs, so both make nice big targets for Hiller. Plenty of experience among this group will be a challenge to the Husker defense.

Husker fans keep talking about the Virginia Tech and Missouri games, but overlooking Western Michigan would be dangerous and could be disastrous. A loss to the Broncos would send the fan base reeling and would be a nasty start to the Bo Pelini era. Western Michigan is a decent opening opponent, one of the better we've seen in a few years.

Western Michigan's game plan will be straightforward. If Western Michigan can score early, possibly either on a kick return or turnover, the Broncos will try to stymy the Husker offense as much as possible in an effort to keep the game close going into the fourth quarter and see what happens.

We'll have more predictions coming later in the week.