By Brendan Kohler
Panther’s Tale
On Thursday, Kansas City Chiefs fans experienced something they have been waiting for since 1983: having their team select a quarterback in the first round of the draft.
Originally slated to pick at No. 27, the Chiefs traded that pick, along with a third-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to the Bills in exchange for pick No. 10.
Before the selection was announced, rumors were swirling around social media that the Chiefs were trading up to select Alabama middle linebacker Reuben Foster. It turned out to be simply a smokescreen of their true selection.
With the 10th selection, the Chiefs selected Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Weeks leading up to the draft, the common belief was that the Chiefs would use their first selection to choose either a middle linebacker, cornerback or a running back to succeed Jamaal Charles, who was cut by the team in February.
But one name kept popping up that was a surprise to most — Mahomes. It is very possible that Mahomes could have been available to the Chiefs with their original pick, but they decided to trade up for him and make sure that they got the player which they envision as their quarterback of the future.
The New Orleans Saints, who had the 11th pick, were also rumored to be interested in selecting Mahomes. This most likely influenced the Chiefs to trade up for the pick ahead of them.
One thing is for sure when you watch Mahomes play — his arm strength is elite. He can throw the full length of the field, almost at ease, which is a rarity for quarterbacks at any level of play. Arm strength runs in his family.
Mahomes is the son of former MLB pitcher Pat, who played parts of 11 seasons in the pros.
Mahomes is also very athletic; during his last three seasons at Texas Tech he had 22 rushing touchdowns, a phenomenal number for a quarterback. With the combination of his legendary arm strength and stellar athleticism, Mahomes seems like a great quarterback prospect.
But he has his issues.
One thing that some scouts cannot get over about Mahomes is his impatience. It seems like anytime he sees a pass rusher coming for him, he forces the ball into the first throwing window he sees.
This results in terrible decision making and ultimately a large number of interceptions. During the draft process, one scout described Mahomes as “reckless” and says there could be about 20 plays per game he makes where you ask yourself, “what is he doing?”
That’s usually not something you want to hear about someone your favorite team just drafted in the top 10.
There couldn’t have been a better fit for Mahomes than the Chiefs to get this issue fixed. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has a knack for developing quarterbacks. Mahomes also will not have to be a starter right away in Kansas City. It is expected that Alex Smith could start for up to two more seasons for the Chiefs while Mahomes learns the offense and is mentored by Smith.
Some Chiefs fans were disappointed that KC opted to select Mahomes instead of Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. Others are stoked and are eager to see what Mahomes can do as the center of the Chiefs offense.
The person who might be most excited about the pick could be Kansas City’s Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who simply tweeted an emoji minutes after the selection of Mahomes.
https://twitter.com/ImFasterThanYa/status/857767665208881152
Mahomes’ arm strength combined with the speed of Hill should make for a duo that will score many touchdowns for the Chiefs.
The pure star potential of Mahomes and his pre-draft comparisons to eventually becoming a Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers level of player make him a legitimate top 10 draft selection. His recklessness when running an offense and the pressure of being a top draft pick could also potentially lead to him being a bust. Either way, Chiefs fans are in for the ride they have been waiting 34 years for.