SB Nation - Fili Moala

2009 Colts Rookie Mini-Camp: Can you "Fili" the love for the DTs?

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:58:54 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

Indianapolis Colts first-round draft pick Connecticut running back Donald Brown. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Today is the last day of Colts Rookie Mini-Camp, and if you have followed coverage of the camp (what little you can get) you see that the focus of much of the coverage is not necessarily first round pick Donald Brown (pictured right). Brown is not getting ignored or anything, but the guy who really keeps popping up in all the mini-camp coverage is second round pick Fili Moala, DT out of USC.

Ed Thompson of ColtPower.com conducted an excellent interview with Fili as camp ended yesterday. The interview provided us with some quotes that are helping warm Colts fans to the USC rookie:

Thompson: It's got to be exciting for you, knowing that no matter which defensive tackle spot you end up playing, you'll either have Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis next to you.
Moala: Yeah, those guys can rush the passer. The Colts were one team that we watched a lot of film on at USC. Those guys get up the field, they have multiple pass-rush moves, and they're savvy veterans. I'm sure that I'll have nothing but good times there and will learn a lot of the tricks of the trade.

Fili also showed appreciation for his old college fans, and expressed interest in entertaining his new fanbase:

Thompson: As you depart USC, is there anything you want to say to the fans there? And is there anything you want to say to the Colts fans?
Moala: I want the USC fans to know how appreciative I am of all the years they cheered me and my teammates on. And to the Colts fans, here's to the future. I'm only going to get better, and I'm determined to be the best and to show everyone that I'm one of the elite tackles in this draft. I know it's going to take years, but I'm going to come in and be as productive as I can be, knowing that I'm going to continue to rise. And let's go win some Super Bowls!

I know this kid hasn't played a lick of pro ball, and I know he will struggle when he goes up against tough, interior offensive linemen, but regardless... I like him already. It's hard not to when you see quotes like that or when you watch Jeffery Gorman's interview with him on Colts.com. It's funny to see his reaction when he talks about line coach John Teerlick. I'm willing to bet Teerlick did a "happy man" dance when he saw Indy drafted Moala. And, if anyone recorded this theoretical happy dance, YouTube it already!

Indeed, the interior of the Colts defensive line is a big focus this offseason, especially the rookies. The Colts also drafted 4th round pick Terrance Taylor from Michigan, and while Fili might be getting all the love from fans and press, Taylor is just as important (if not more important) to the success of this team.

Since Ed Johnson was kicked off the team, the Colts have desperately searched for a quality nose tackle for their Tampa 2 scheme. They tried to trade for Buffalo's John McCargo last season, but McCargo's nagging back injury snuffed the deal. They then signed Antonio "Mookie" Johnson off Tennessee's practice squad, and while Mookie played very well overall in 2008, the kid was only on the team two weeks before getting thrown into the starting line-up. That's not a lot of time to learn a new defense, get comfortable with teammates, and start producing. This off-season, players like Mookie Johnson (who was signed for two years) will have time to learn the defense, get conditioned, and get comfortable playing for the Colts. In addition to that, rookies like Terrance Taylor are now in the fold, and Taylor knows the kind of role Indy is asking him to play:

At 319 pounds, Taylor definitely fills one of the team's needs. He's currently the biggest defender on the roster.
"It makes me feel good," Taylor said. "It's always good to go to a place where they need you. You're not just there because they had another pick. They've got a lot of great veterans and leaders I can learn from."

Like Fili, Terrance was a bit surprised that a team like the Colts would draft him:

Like Moala, he didn't expect to be drafted by the Colts.

"It was a surprise to me," Taylor said. "They had called me information-wise, but other than that, it was a surprise that I was coming here. They needed some guys to stop the run, and I'm the guy to do that."

Also thrown into the mix are rookie free agents Pat Kuntz (DT, Notre Dame) and Adrian Grady (DT, Louisville). I have no idea how Kuntz and his 285 pound frame will factor into the Colts d-line rotation, but I almost don't care. The dude is friggin' hilarious. He can belch the alphabet, and did so on Indy's 1070 The Fan a few days ago. Listen to it. It's pretty friggin' funny.

This man will burp the alphabet on cue. So yep, he's a keeper!

Belching aside, Kuntz could play three technique at the DT spot, or the Colts could use him as a replacement for DE Josh Thomas. Thomas, a hard-working, sturdy run defender at the DE spot, has not been re-signed. At 6'5, 271 pounds, Thomas added a great deal of size to Indy's edge. When team's went power run against the Colts, Thomas was one of the few line defenders who could snuff out the run. Kuntz is 6'3, 285 pounds and might be able to fill the roll Thomas once held. If not, the Colts should still keep Kuntz on the payroll so he can burp the alphabet over the loud-speakers at "The Lube" on gameday.

Adrian Grady is the mystery player to me. Like Eric Foster last year, I don't know much about Grady (watched zero Louisville games in 2008). However, like Foster, Grady might have been a bit of a steal:

Grady, meanwhile, has been called a "diamond in the rough" by NFL scouts after posting good numbers for the Cardinals (41 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks) as a senior last fall.

At 6'2, 305 pounds, Grady fits the bill as a Tampa-2 tackle. But, which kind of tackle? Is he a three tech or a NT? Or both? Staying healthy was Grady's biggest problem at Louisville. He did stay healthy his senior season and really broke out. Scouting reports say he is quick and can push the pile. He's also active and never quits on plays. His negatives are he is not great at the point of attack, and has limited pass rushing moves. But, he shows a lot of potential, and unlike Foster (who played admirably at NT last year only weighing 270 pounds), Grady has the size and frame to play NT.

Adrian Grady wants to hear you scream his name!

Photo: cache.daylife.com

So, as the rookie mini-camp winds down, and the June team mini-camp waits on the horizon, the Colts are looking at having Fili Moala, Mookie Johnson, Terrance Taylor, Eric Foster, Keyunta Dawson, Adrian Grady, Daniel Muir, and Pat Kuntz as their defensive tackles. I think it is safe to say the Colts took their DT depth issues VERY seriously this off-season, and brought in some high quality, high character guys who will shore up the interior of this defense. Start getting excited...

2009 Colts Rookie Mini-Camp: Indianapolis established media really does suck

BigBlueShoe — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:34:19 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

7 months ago: Indianapolis Colts second-round draft pick USC defensive tackle Fili Moala talks to the media after football minicamp at the Colts headquarters in Indianapolis, Friday, May 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Browse more photos »

New Colts coach Jim Caldwell called his first day of rookie mini-camp "productive," calling his 2009 crop of rookies "attentive" and "pretty efficient." And while the coaches claim they are not evaluating players at this time, just helping them better transition to the Colts from college, Caldwell did not shy away from praising his first round pick in 2009, RB Donald Brown.

"We were not disappointed," Caldwell said, adding, "It's very, very difficult to evaluate anyone on one day for a two-hour period. A lot more goes into it than that, but [Brown] certainly did well today."

The other player many people have their eye on is DT Fili Moala. Before we get into Fili, I have an important side note to make: Indianapolis' established media really does suck.

I know that seems to come out of nowhere here, but believe me when I say it relates to Fili Moala and the Colts rookie mini-camp. Within minutes of the rookie camp ending, AP published an article on Moala and his first day as a Colt. It's a pretty cool little story with Fili talking about the Colts franchise, playing on a Tampa-2 team, and how fun it will be. The article also talks about NT Terrance Taylor.

Later, Colts.com posted their video press conference video featuring Jim Caldwell. They also posted a quick John Oehser article discussing the first day.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Star, the only established newspaper in Indianapolis (owned by mega-corporate-octopus Gannett) posted nothing, NADA, zip, zero, zilch until this morning. Just to hit that point home, both Associated Press AND the Colts themselves posted better more timely content about a subject hundreds of thousands of people are interested in waaaaaaaaaay before the ONLY newspaper in Indianapolis posting anything.

Yes folks, the Indy Star does suck THAT much.

When news happens now it should be posted NOW. Posting mini-camp news the day after the camp is an old, broken news model that does not work anymore. It's the reason why this country is littered with the bodies of closed and discontinued newspapers. People no longer want their news next day. They want it NOW! On the web. On Twitter. On Facebook. On blogs. On mobile phones. Now! NOW! NOW!

As many of my generation say (right or wrong), If the news is important, it will find me. And the best way to find readers is to get your friggin content out there ASAP.

Another frustration I have is with the Colts themselves. While it was great that the Colts posted video of Caldwell the first day, they also issued press releases for Colts-related news that happened NINE DAYS AGO. Yesterday, they issued a press release announcing the signing of offensive tackle Brandon Barnes and offensive lineman Kyle DeVan. We knew these signing took place prior to the friggin draft, almost nine days ago. The Colts also issued a press statement that their rookie free agents were signed. Again, we knew (and posted) these signings the day of and day after the Draft.

I mean, no offense Colts media guys and gals, but why not issue a statement that Egypt built some pyramids a few years ago? The news is about as relevant now.

You'll have to forgive me, but when I see old, broken media models like this continue to chug along, I get annoyed. Posting press releases like the Colts did or posting content on the Indy Star's site the day after is a dated, tired method of getting news out. For the Colts, there really is no excuse. When the players like DeVan and Barnes are signed, a press statement should be made immediately on the website. If not, then why bother having a website, or press statements for that matter? Doing it nine days after the news happened screams of We don't give a sh*t, but we're doing it anyway just because. Again, the only reason to have a team website is to reach out to fans. It's not for press and media. They rarely use the site as they often contact the team directly to get information. The site is there for fans, and when you update your site with news that is nine days old, it tends to send a message that you just don't give a crap about your fans.

And at a time when forces are trying to paint the Colts as assh*les in this whole stupid CIB thing, now is not the time to be insulting your fanbase's intelligence by posting news that's nine days old and considering it relevant.

To this day, I have no idea why the Colts post their media files on their horrible media page. Why not post them on YouTube, embed them on their site, and then let fan blogs (like this one) embed the videos into our site posts? The same with the Star. Post, embed, and BANG! Content is out minutes after the interview is recorded. Unreal why they don't do this.

And please Indy Star, don't give me the crappy excuse that you aren't ESPN, and thus can't be as timely with news on your website. I'm not ESPN, and I have routinely beaten you to the punch on many Colts stories. I'm one guy who maintains this site. One. Friggin. Guy. I have four other co-writers who work for free, posting content left and right because they love it. Your writers and web staff make a helluva lot more than we do, and with features like YouTube, Twitter, and other applications, there is simply no excuse for getting your content out a day after. If the excuse you have is you wanted to wait for the newspapers to hit the driveways, then the Indy Star will be gone within a year. No one reads newspapers anymore. The newspaper is a dead media medium, and good riddance at that.

So please Indy Star and Colts.com, remove your heads from your colons and start working in the 21st friggin century. I don't say these things because I hate you guys and think you are all a bunch of incompetent dipsh*ts. The only incompetent dipsh*t in this whole media umbrella is Bob Kravitz, and he stopped being relevant a looooooooooong time ago. I say these things to you because I know your staff reads this blog, and I know that sometimes established media needs some tough love. You can ignore my suggests at your own peril, but consider this:

Last weekend, I had nearly 100,000 people hit my site on Draft Day. My network (SB Nation) generated 1.1 million page views over Draft weekend. I'm willing to bet that more eyes viewed my site (and my site's advertising) in one day than they did Colts.com's or IndyStar.com's combined for the entire weekend. When you Google the words "2009 Colts Draft," Stampede Blue is #1. Not Colts.com. Not IndyStar.com. Stampede friggin' Blue.

Do you want to know why my site is #1? Because I don't wait nine days, or even one day, to post important Colts content. I post it NOW! I Twitter it NOW! I Yahoo! it NOW! I Facebook it NOW!

Think on that, and get your heads into the 21st century already. Because if you don't, blogs like mine will replace you as community gathering places on the web to reach out to Colts fans.

2009 Colts rookies get assigned their jersey numbers

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:12:44 -0000

With rookie camp starting today, the Colts have assigned numbers to their drafted and un-drafted rookies.

1ST ROUND PICK - RB DONALD BROWN, UCONN - #31

2ND ROUND PICK - DT FILI MOALA, USC - #95

3RD ROUND PICK - CB JERRAUD POWERS, AUBURN - #49

4TH ROUND PICK - WR AUSTIN COLLIE, BYU - #17

4TH ROUND PICK - DT TERRANCE TAYLOR, MICHIGAN - #62

6TH ROUND PICK - QB CURTIS PAINTER, PURDUE - #7

6TH ROUND PICK - P PAT MCAFEE, WEST VIRGINIA - #1

7TH ROUND PICK - OG JAIMIE THOMAS, MARYLAND - #73

The undrafted rookies are not listed on the team page at this time. Jersey numbers for all rookies are subject to change as camps open, players get released or signed, etc.

[UPDATE 4:59PM] Colts.com has now updated their roster page with undrafted rookie jersey numbers.

2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft Grades: Say hello to the new Defensive Tackles!

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:14:39 -0000

We continue with our draft grades (and again, the "grades" aren't necessarily A, B, C, etc. but more High Marks and Low Marks), focusing now on the defensive tackles selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. DT was a major position of need going into the draft. Gone was Ed Johnson (un-drafted starter, 2007) and Quinn Pitcock (3rd rounder, 2007) from last year's team. Replacing them were 275 pound rookie Eric Foster and 265 pound second year player Keyunta Dawson. As quick and tough as Foster and Dawson played in 2008, a team cannot maintain a consistent defensive front with two tackles that are under 280 pounds.

Thus, the Colts targeted some big, explosive players at the DT position in this year's draft.

Fili Moala, DT, USC
Round 2, Pick #56

Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan
Round 4, Pick #136

DT Fili Moala

Photo: walterfootball.com

The Colts have had Moala on their radar for a while now. The 6'4, 305 pound DT breaks the mold a bit for DTs normally drafted or signed by the Colts. From Big Bill himself:

"[Moala's] the kind of long, tough, rough-house defensive tackle that we feel like can help us both in the run game and the pass. He’s a guy obviously that we thought very highly of. The pickings were getting a little slim on the boards. Everybody we had in the round had gone off at this point. Our board has been scarily correct and accurate. There weren’t many left (tackles) at this point, so we decided to go make the trade and make sure we got him. We’re anxious to have him. He’s a player who played mostly right defensive end in the 3-4 this year because they had to get (Clay) Matthews on the field, along with the other three linebackers. We saw him in a situation that is a little different than what he’ll play here. There were times when he was down in a true four front. We like his length. We like his toughness. We like his effort. The speed is good. He’s very different than what we’re used to having. That’s fine. We felt like it was a departure in the right direction."

They can play Moala at both the over and under tackle spots, maximizing his power to stop the run or his speed and long arms to pressure the QB. It's interesting the Moala was drafted by a team which plays Tampa-2 mainly because Moala played much of his college career in a hybrid 3-4. So, there will likely be some transition hiccups along the way as Moala shifts from 3-4 DE to Tampa-2 DT.

It's important to point out that while Moala is a bit of a departure, he is not some giant, fat, slow, Jabba-The-Hutt-type DT that the Colts are throwing out there. This is a 3-5 pound, 6'4 guy who runs a pretty fast 40. Indeed, while he could play the nose tackle spot in the DT rotation, Polian does not think he truly fits there:

"This guy isn’t necessary the ‘Big Guy’ in the middle. He’s a bigger guy than we’ve had. We still need length. We still need athleticism. We still need change of direction. The under tackle is still a guy that has to be able to get through the gap and disrupt. It’s hard to win consistently with 275-pound guys in there. It helps if they are 290 to 300. The nose tackle is another story. He could even be bigger if you could find one."

Moala provides that speed, that change of direction, that ability to penetrate and disrupt plays in the opponent's backfield.

"What you see is penetration, length in penetration, the ability to change direction and go chase the play. That’s critical. He’s a long-armed, long-limbed guy. That aids him in pass rush. He really has a chance to get up the field and get on the outside of a guard and do some damage in the pass rush. Our most successful inside pass rusher has been Raheem Brock, who is the same height and naturally quite a bit less heavy. This is a guy that has a lot of the attributes we’re looking for, plus the 305 pounds, quality and what he can do."

But, as quick and powerful as Moala is, many of us here have argued that a penetrating DT is not what the Colts need. Players like Brock, Foster, and Dawson have filled that role quite well in year's past. The Colts won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Brock starting every game at DT. What is desperately needed since Ed Johnson was booted off the team for smoking weed is a nose tackle, a guy who can eat up two offensive linemen, allowing the other DT to shoot the gaps and get into the backfield.

Enter Terrance Taylor, DT from Michigan.

Taylor is 6'0 and almost 320 pounds of mean. He started 36 games for Michigan and had 17.5 tackles for losses and six sacks at the nose tackle spot. That's damned impressive! From Polian [emphasis mine]:

"He's a wide-body and a guy with explosion," Polian said. "He's a true nose tackle. That's something we felt like we needed to add in terms of how we structure the defense. He's a prototypical nose tackle."

Taylor is short but powerful. Like Casey Hampton in Pittsburgh, Taylor could be the wrecking ball the Colts have been missing, and at 320 pounds, can can take up a bit more space. thus, players like Moala, Dawson, Foster, and Brock can play three technique and attack the backfield. Pairing Taylor with Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir gives the Colts some much needed depth at the nose tackle spot. Indy has also signed rookie free agents Pat Kuntz from Notre Dame and Adrian Grady from Louisville, adding even more depth at DT.

At the end of the draft, if you were like me and thought that Indy absolutely had to grab quality depth (and possibly a starter or two) at DT, then this draft did not disappoint you. Moala and Taylor provide great anchors that should shore up the team's run defesne and allow Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock, and Marcus Howard to attack the QB.

DRAFT GRADE: Very High Marks

And with the #61 Pick in the Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the Indianapolis Colts Select...

Chris Thorman — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:15:09 -0000

USC DT Fili Moala

saskwatch with the pick...

Indianapolis has more needs to fill in the 2009 draft than one would expect for a playoff team. The Colts also have needs at linebacker and running back and they require upgrades along the defensive and offensive lines. The departure of Harrison has left a need at WR.

The linebacker position was addressed in the first round with the selection James Laurinaitis. The Colts would have jumped all over Brian Robiskie had he fallen a few more spots. There is nobody left on the OL or at RB that gets me excited at this spot.

The Colts use their second round pick to address one of the biggest needs, DT. For the past several years they have struggled to stop the run and they are not excited about starting the season with Raheem Brock, Daniel Muir, Eric Foster, Keyunata Dawson, and Antonio Johnson as their tackles.

They need a big athletic body in the middle to keep the oppositions offensive linemen off their fast but undersized linebackers. There are two DT’s with close to the same grade, Fili Moala and Sen'Derrick Marks. Marks’ poor performance on the bench (16 reps) creates a concern that he lacks the strength to clog up the middle. Moala is a big body (6’4”, 300 lb) that is stout against the run. He was overshadowed at USC by all of the linebackers on defense, but his ability to clog up the middle and keep linemen off those players allowed them to run all over the field and make plays.

The addition of Moala and Laurinaitis in the first two rounds should really help improve the run defense of the Colts, putting teams in more 3rd and longs and allowing their great pass rushers to put the heat on opposing QB’s.

Round 1 is here.

Previous pick: OT Herman Johnson

Read more: Scouting Report (Mocking the Draft)

On the clock: Tennessee Titans (Lvl.99), Arizona Cardinals (THE_TRUTH) and Pittsburgh Steelers (McWhirt33).

Click over for the schedule and current draft results.

Pick	Round 2	Selection	Date	Approval Rating
1(33)	Detroit Lions - UCrawford	CB Darius Butler	Weds., April 8th	48%
2(34)	New England Patriots (From Kansas City) - connerman	DE Robert Ayers	Weds., April 8th	67%
3(35)	St. Louis Rams - Lanier63	DT Evander Hood	Thursday, April 9th	55%
4(36)	Cleveland Browns - HIV2Elway	DE Connor Barwin	Thursday, April 9th	68%
5(37)	Seattle Seahawks - mikvogel	OT William Beatty	Friday, April 10th	67%
6(38)	Cincinnati Bengals - mistamic	C Max Unger	Friday, April 10th	68%
7(39)	Jacksonville Jaguars - DThomasReigns	G Duke Robinson	Monday, April 13th	72%
8(40)	Oakland Raiders - mushin	T Phil Loadholt	Monday, April 13th	68%
9(41)	Green Bay Packers - JasonM	DT Ron Brace	Tuesday, April 14th	62%
10(42)	Buffalo Bills - ArrowDread	DE Michael Johnson	Tuesday, April 14th	60%
11(43)	San Francisco 49ers - Harry Feltersnatch	DE/LB Larry English	Weds. April 15th	67%
12(44)	Miami Dolphins (From Washington) - shraggyj	WR Kenny Britt	Weds. April 15th	69%
13(45)	New York Giants (From New Orleans) - ChiefsFan90s	LB Clint Sintim	Thursday, April 16th	64%
14(46)	Houston Texans - ChiefsDude	FS Louis Delmas	Thursday, April 16th	37%
15(47)	New England Patriots (From San Diego) - connerman	DE/OLB Paul Kruger	Friday, April 17th	64%
16(48)	Denver Broncos (From Texans) - Keyser Sose	RB Donald Brown	Friday, April 17th	41%
17(49)	Chicago Bears - Holmeslice	C Jonathan Luigs	Monday, April 20th
18(50)	Cleveland Browns (From Tampa Bay) - HIV2Elway	RB Shonn Green	Monday, April 20th
19(51)	Dallas Cowboys - chiefsfan1384	SS William Moore	Monday, April 20th
20(52)	New York Jets - PSUkegreen	WR Mohamed Massaquoi	Tuesday, April 21st
21(53)	Philadelphia Eagles - Chiefsfan717	RB LeSean McCoy	Tuesday, April 21st
22(54)	Minnesota Vikings - kcsno56	C Eric Wood	Tuesday, April 21st
23(55)	Atlanta Falcons - RedNose	CB Victor Harris	Weds. April 22nd
24(56)	Miami Dolphins - shraggyj	CB Jarius Byrd	Weds. April 22nd
25(57)	Baltimore Ravens - Ben S	WR Brian Robiskie	Weds. April 22nd
26(58)	New England Patriots - connerman	DL Jarron Gilbert	Thursday, April 23rd
27(59)	Carolina Panthers - 808NaNz808	OL Fenuki Tupou	Thursday, April 23rd
28(60)	New York Giants - ChiefsFan90s	OT Herman Johnson	Thursday, April 23rd
29(61)	Indianapolis Colts - saskwatch	DT Fili Moala	Friday, April 24th
30(62)	Tennessee Titans - Lvl.99		Friday, April 24th
31(63)	Arizona Cardinals - THE_TRUTH		Friday, April 24th
32(64)	Pittsburgh Steelers - McWhirt33		Friday, April 24th

Poll

Do you agree with the pick?

Yes

29 votes

No

5 votes

Indifferent

5 votes

39 votes | Poll has closed

Meet the Chiefs Draft Interests (Trade Down Edition)

Joel Thorman — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2008 file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Tim Bailey (39) is shoved back by Mississippi offensive lineman Michael Oher (74) during the first half of an NCAA college football game. Oher is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Browse more photos »

Yesterday, we broke down by position all the draft prospects the Kansas City Chiefs have been reportedly interested in. No surprise that offensive line and linebacker led the way.

Then we looked at the players the Chiefs have worked out that could be the third overall pick.

Today, we're perusing our Chiefs Draft Interests page and highlighting all the players the scouting staff has looked at that are projected to go in the second or third round. If you're watching the Draft on Saturday, and at 3:20 PM you hear the Chiefs have traded down, there's a likelihood they'll know who to pick considering they've focused heavily on players in this draft range.

The list of players below is one of the biggest reasons so many folks across the league expect Scott Pioli and the Chiefs to move out of the third overall pick and collect more picks in the late first to early third round range.

OFFENSIVE LINE

OT Michael Oher (Ole Miss, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bow/Attended Pro Day (March 31)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Oher settles in at the tail end of the top ten range to the high teens. If the Chiefs are looking at him as a tackle opposite of Albert (right or left), then they'll need to likely target the Buffalo Bills 11th overall pick.

OT Eben Britton (Arizona, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported March 25)

*Could be a right or left tackle (6'6", 310 pounds) and could be taken as high as the late teens in the first round.

DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKER

OLB Brian Cushing (USC, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl/Attended Pro Day (April 1)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Brian Cushing is projected to be a first round pick and would be of interest to the Chiefs if they were able to trade down. He, along with his USC counterparts, could be a tremendous help to the Chiefs and a great value if they were able to drop into to the bottom half of the first round.

DE Connor Barwin (Cincinnati, Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*The Patriots are reported to have a lot of interest in Barwin as well. He's had arguably the best post-season workout run as any player in this draft class. Capable of playing as an OLB (1 year at Cincinnati) or a TE (3 years at Cincinnati), Barwin has been drawn comparisons to Chiefs' Mike Vrabel. He won't make it past the Patriots or Browns, early in the second round.

LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio St., Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*Came in on the same day as Brian Orakpo and Connor Barwin. It's strange...if Lauriniaitis have come out last year, he was projected to be as high as a top ten pick. Now, he's fallen to the tail end of the first round, possibly as low as the second round. He seems to have the Pioli mentality when it comes to football.

LB Larry English (Northern Illinois, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported April 8)

*English has been shooting up draft boards, possibly into the first round. He's been reported to have drawn the interest of the Patriots in addition to the Chiefs. He's projected as an OLB in the Chiefs' 3-4 scheme.

LB Clint Sintim

*Another interesting prospect as he's projected to go as high as 25th to the Dolphins and as low as the middle of the second round.

DE Jarron Gilbert (San Jose St., Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (April)

*Another guy gaining a lot of steam, maybe even into the end of the first round. Click the link above to see a cool video of him jumping out of a pool (Okay, that sounds weird. Just watch it if you haven't already).

NT Sen'Derrick Marks (Auburn, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 30)

*Nose tackles are hard to come by but one of Marks' biggest knocks is that he's not big enough to handle larger defensive linemen. Not a characteristic a defensive lineman wants. He's likely to be available when the Chiefs pick in the third round.

DT Fili Moala (USC, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Combine

*The Chiefs could be looking for another defensive tackle - though I would imagine they would prefer it to be a more traditional nose tackle.

DE Paul Kruger (Utah, Rd. 3) - Private workout (1st week of April)

*From Utah and is projected as an OLB. He's quick and has the frame to get bigger. The Broncos and Chiefs both worked him out.

SECONDARY

CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio St. Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*I wouldn't read much into this. The Chiefs scouted him way back when we weren't sure if rookie Brandon Carr could handle the corner job opposite of Flowers (he can).

CB Mike Mickens (Cincinnati, Rd. 2-3) - Scouted in person in 2008

*Director of college scouting says he has the "temperament" to be an NFL corner.

CB Keenan Lewis (Oregon St., Rd. 3) - Spoke with at the Senior Bowl

*From Oregon State and had an interview with the Chiefs at the Senior Bowl. Haven't heard any news on him since that.

QUARTERBACKS

QB Chase Patton (MU, Rd. 7) - Rumored interest

*We just learned tonight the Chiefs have requested a contact number for Patton on Draft day so that's a good sign that he's on the Chiefs radar.

QB Josh Freeman (K-State, Rd. 1-2) - Attended local Pro Day

*Didn't even work out at the Chiefs complex. Nothing to see here. Move along...

QB Pat White (WVU, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl

*Since the Senior Bowl meeting, we haven't been able to get a confirmation of Pat White working out with the Chiefs. He's been linked to the Patriots and Vikings, among other teams.

RUNNING BACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma St., Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*The Chiefs could have been doing their due diligence last season when they scouted Pettigrew. Remember, last October, in the height of college football season, Gonzalez was publicly asking to be traded.

TE Chase Coffman (MU, Rd. 2-3) - Attended local Pro Day

*Coffman is an intriguing pick due in large part to the fact that he's local. Though Pioli has picked three tight ends in the first round while in New England, I expect him to hang onto Gonzalez in 2009 with Brad Cottam as his eventual heir.

WR Mike Thomas (Arizona, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 24)

*Both the Chiefs (Pioli) and Broncos (McDaniels) set up a private workout with Thomas so maybe there's a bit of the 'Patriot Way' in him. His skill set is in a Wes Welker type mold, meaning he's a small and quick possession/slot receiver.

RB Andre Brown (NC State, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (Reported April 16th)

*And here's my "Chiefs work out a RB...replacement for LJ?" post...

It can't be used as a legitimate clue into the Chiefs' front office because our Chiefs' draft interests page is ultimately incomplete, but only two offensive linemen that have been reportedly worked out by the Chiefs are expected to be in trade down territory.

Of these 20 prospects, nine of them were defensive linemen and linebackers. A sign that the Chiefs will be going defense in the even to of a trade down?

Taking the table from Chris' post yesterday where he broke down all the Chiefs draft interests by position, we can see the Chiefs are focusing their reported scouting efforts of defensive linemen and linebackers projected to be selected later in the first round to the third round.

Offense	Defense
OT (10)	LB (11)
WR (4)	DE (6)
QB (3)	DL (5)
OG (3)	CB (4)
RB (2)
PK (2)
FB (1)

Out of the sixteen reported DL/LBs on this list, nine of them would require the Chiefs trading down. That's quite the due diligence.

Rumblings Authors Mock, V2.0 - sireric's take

sireric — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

Mississippi OT Michael Oher (right) could be the ideal replacement for OT Jason Peters in Buffalo. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Browse more photos »

I think that for this mock draft - my final entry in this year's Rumblings Authors Mock series - I am going to go against one of my preferences when doing a mock draft. Normally I dislike including trades, mainly because I think that as Buffalo Bills fans we tend to give our team too much compensation and overrate our own talent. That said, I think that this year could see a few trades by the Bills, so I will give it a try. I was going to include a Jason Peters trade, but I no longer have to speculate about that.

The Bills send Roscoe Parrish to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the Cowboys' Round 6 (No. 197 overall) pick in 2009. The Cowboys were third from the bottom of the league last year with a terrible 6.4-yard punt return average; compare that to the Bills, who were No. 1 with a 15.5-yard average. Roscoe gives the Cowboys and upgrade at returner at minimal cost. Why so low on the compensation you ask? How much would you give for a guy who is basically just a punt returner who is making what Roscoe is?

After trading Jason Peters and my prognostication about the Roscoe Parrish deal, that gives the Bills the following picks: 11, 28, 42, 75, 110, 121, 147,183, 197, 220. Here is what they do with those ten picks:

1-11: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi. After trading Jason Peters, tackle now becomes a huge need for the Bills, and Oher is probably the best one left on the board at this point. Oher also has the ability to play guard, which makes him even more valuable to the Bills since they have a hole there also.

1-28: Alex Mack, C, California. I'm not sure that the Bills would ideally like to take two linemen this high. They would most likely prefer to add a DE somewhere here. Alex Mack however would be just too darn good to pass up. The Bills need more ~~Kiss Ass~~ Kick Ass toughness on the offensive line, and Mack has that in spades. I think that Geoff Hangartner still stays at center and Mack is a guard, but who really cares where they play?

2-42: Fili Moala, DT, USC. For those of you who are still pining for Haloti Ngata, fear not - Moala is Ngata's cousin. The 6'4", 305-pound Moala has plenty of size and will fit into the Bills' DT rotation quite nicely.

3-75: Marcus Freeman, LB, Ohio State. There could be several options still on the board to fill the OLB spot for the Bills. However, their compulsion towards OSU players compels them to grab Freeman. Freeman is a solid blitzer who, at least initially, can be subbed for by Keith Ellison when needed to drop into coverage.

4-110: Phillip Hunt, DE, Houston. A little late for a DE? Sure. But let's be honest - Schobel and Kelsay are the starters, and Ryan Denney is going to play a prominent role also. The Bills need a guy who an come in on passing downs, pin his ears back, and go get the QB. Hunt can be that guy - then maybe next year when at least one of the Trio of Suck leaves, Hunt can have a bigger role.

4-121: Sherrod Martin, S, Troy State. Martin has good timed speed, 4.46 in the 40 at his pro day, and has decent ball skills recording 4 picks this past season. He was of course also a teammate of Leodis McKelvin last year.

5-147: Davon Drew, TE, East Carolina. I have touted the likes of Bear Pascoe and Davon Drew for quite some time now, and here is why: the Bills are going to put an onus on running the football this year. If Derek Fine gets hurt and misses some time, like he did last year, that will leave Derek Schouman as the top TE on the Bills roster. Schouman isn't the best blocker around, so if Fine goes down it could really hurt the Bills' run game if their next best blocking TE is a guy like Chase Coffman or Jared Cook. Give me a blocker.

6-183: Lee Robinson, OLB, Alcorn State. A solid depth pick here. Robinson is athletic enough to comtribute on special teams right away and could develop into a pretty solid player. Robinson was an All-SWAC First Team qualifier as a senior.

6-197: Dallas Reynolds, C/G, BYU. Reynolds was an All-Mountain West first team performer, and was the leader of a unit that blocked for one of the top offenses in the nation. At 6'5" and 328 pounds, Reynolds is a massive road grader who is easily an upgrade over the mercifully-departed Duke Preston.

7-220: Mark Hafner, FB, Houston. I know some of you love Quinn Johnson and Tony Fiammetta, but Hafner is a great receiver out of the backfield. He finished his senior season by catching 86 passes for 907 yards and 11 scores. Given Trent Edwards' love of the check down pass, Hafner's hands could prove invaluable. Next Larry Centers?

***

Alright, let's hear it. I know most of you will hate the the fact that I didn't take a DE until round four, and I know that plenty of you want a TE that can stretch the field so I doubt that this will win too many of you over. I am OK with that. I will settle for an I told you so.

SB Nation Writers Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick #48

Mocking Dan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:00:12 -0000

No. 48

DENVER
BRONCOS
Pick by Mile High Report

Fili Moala
Defensive tackle
Southern California

Is defense a priority for Denver? Apparently, after the Mile High guys went with Malcolm Jenkins and Clint Sintim in round one. Up with this pick is the great styg50, your friend and mine.

Sometimes what you need and what you get are two different things. NT, or any beef on the Dline really, especially beef that is suited to play in the 3-4, is a mile high on Denver's 'need' list. But the top end of the 2009 draft simply hasn't been kind to the Broncos in this regard. So far we have snagged some defensive value picks, but we can't go much longer without addressing those glaring vacancies on the line.

Enter Fili Moala.

The choices really came down DE Jarron Gilbert, RB Andre Brown, and Moala (with some DE/DT Mitch King speculation thrown in for good measure). And while Brown is a great fit and a weapon, there are viable backup plans in the third and beyond at RB. Gilbert is exceptionally tempting, except for the whole "Buyer Beware" thing associated with him. Questions about technical polish and level of competition redirect the eyes squarely to Moala.

Moala isn't nearly the pure athlete and specimen that Gilbert is, in fact, if we were looking for any kind of rush, we would look elsewhere. But what Fili does bring is steady, experienced leadership on the line. Stopping the run comes first, and Moala will help a lot in that area. He can be expected to line up suitably on the end, and even to step in on occasion at NT, where he has a some experience. As a four-year starter he has the production McDaniels and co. will be looking for. Not to be overlooked is the upside of this pick, with Fili still likely to gain some size, and with any luck, some more strength.

Moala isn't a perfect fit, or a perfect specimen, but the Denver defense has drifted as far from any semblance of "perfect" as they have ever been in the entire history of the franchise. Moala can be part of a new, aggressive identity going forward, even if it is just to give the bandwagon the shove it needs to get going again.

MTD thoughts: Moala is a good scheme fit. If Denver can't get Tyson Jackson in the first round, getting a player like Moala is a must.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, TE Chase Coffman, S Patrick Chung

Chiefs Defensive Line Problems Won't be a Quick Fix

Joel Thorman — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:50:53 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs defensive drafting woes have been well-documented. In a piece by DThomasReigns (that Dr. Z mentioned in his Sports Illustrated column) came this "terrifying" reality:

"In the last 7 years, the Chiefs have spent 4 of 7 First round picks on Defense, EVERY Second round pick on Defense, and 5 Third rounders on Defense."

Yikes! And that news isn't going to get much better next season, especially at the defensive tackle position.

The time it takes a defensive tackle to fully develop has also been well documented around here. With free agency pretty much done, it's becoming evident that (barring a trade) the Chiefs won't have a NFL-ready tackle to start the season.

Glenn Dorsey may be the best candidate to start at the nose tackle come opening weekend, unless the Chiefs pick up a tackle in the draft. But judging by the tackles the Chiefs have been looking at, there isn't one in the draft that will be ready to be a force on opening weekend.

Let's take a quick look at the defensive tackles the Chiefs have reportedly shown interest in and tell me if any of these guys can be the team's starter in September.

Jarron Gilbert (San Jose State DE/DT - 6'5" 288 pounds)

Technically a defensive end in college, Gilbert appears to have the build to pack on a few more pounds and take a run as a defensive tackle. Though that's unlikely, he's still a player the Chiefs will work out. Still, as a defensive end in college, it's unlikely Gilbert can or will make the switch to tackle by opening day.

Ricky Jean-Francois (LSU DT 6'3" 290 pounds)

Francois worked out for the Chiefs on March 17th in Louisiana. He's got the beginnings of the size needed for a 3-4 defensive tackle but as a likely mid-round pick (3rd-5th round), I don't see him being ready to start at defensive tackle to start the season.

Fili Moala (USC DT 6'4" 303 pounds)

Of all the prospects that we know the Chiefs have shown an interest in, Moala appears to be the most likely to be able to start opening day. He's been compared to the Patriots' Vince Wilfork and is related to Ravens tackle Haloti Ngata. Still, he was a junior college transfer because of academic problems coming out of high school which isn't the best pedigree for a tackle to start as a rookie.

Sammie Lee Hill (Stillman DE/DT 6'4" 329 pounds)

Hill has the most NFL ready size out of all the prospects the Chiefs have scouted for tackle. Unfortunately, we're not sure how his skills will translate to the NFL since his competition were all from small schools.

Sen'Derrick Marks (Auburn DT 6'1", 295 pounds)

I don't know a whole lot about Marks, except for his statistics which declined this year. He's only a junior so I don't like the chances of someone as young as him starting immediately. The knocks on him include lacking the "bulk and strength to handle anchoring against the double team" which doesn't scream opening day starter to me.

***

Since free agency is all but over as far as impact players go, I'm throwing my hat in the ring for Dorsey as the starter at nose tackle come the first week of September. With the exception of B.J. Raji and possibly his teammate Ron Brace, both of which I don't think are on the Chiefs radar, I don't see any lineman in the 2009 NFL Draft starting as a 3-4 nose tackle the first week of the season.

Morning Update (Later Larry Edition)

Chris Thorman — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:29:03 -0000

Larry Johnson and Jared Allen laugh at the idea of the Chiefs letting them go.

Kansas City Chiefs News

I keep reading "updates" on the Chiefs' switch from River Falls, WI, to St. Joseph, MO, for their training camp site only to find out there is really no news at all. Life a bit slow in St. Joe perhaps?
Arrowhead Addict is hoping for some big news this week regarding the Chiefs' disgruntled veterans.
You've probably heard about players from other NFL teams not showing up to the voluntary mini-camps they're holding but you probably won't hear anything out of One Arrowhead Drive: "The media has already been warned they can only be in the media workroom. They cannot sit in the parking lot and count heads as they walk into the building."
WPI: "Gonzalez, Waters and Johnson should take a step back and look at the big picture. This community, this team and these fans are among the best in the NFL and looking forward, the winning is really only a step or two away."
Courtesy of KFFL, we find out that the Chiefs formally interviewed USC DT Fili Moala at the NFL Combine. We're also tracking the players the Chiefs are interested in.

Draft News

B.J. Raji gets a tad worked up in his interview with Colin at Big Cat Country.
It's probably not a bad idea to keep track of all of the top linebacker prospects in this year's draft: LB Larry English works out at Pro Day.
Saint at Silver and Black Pride says WR Michael Crabtree has to be the Raiders first pick.

Other News

The Brady Rule- forever screwing up Google searches for the Kansas City Chiefs by mentioning Bernard Pollard every time Tom Brady's name comes up.
Here is one of the most dull, lazy attempts to debate the NFL possibly extending the season a couple of games. Note to newspaper writers: Please put in more effort than this guy and you'll survive.
You wish you could live a life like Lou Saban did.

The big news this week for the Chiefs is that Larry Johnson and the team will meet on Wednesday to discuss recovering some of LJ's salary. It's almost a guarantee that Johnson wont' be back as a Chief next season and this salary grievance hearing is the beginning of that end.