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2002 NFL draft

Chiefs get their man

Kansas City fills a huge hole but at what cost?

By Andy Hanacek, Associate editor
April 20, 2002

I’m all in favor of teams moving around, trying to get the player they really want and need, so I give the Chiefs credit for moving up two spots to get North Carolina DT Ryan Sims. They needed him, having ranked 27^th in the league against the run in 2001.

But to give up as much as they did for Sims is a bit stunning. To move up two whole spots, in effect jumping the Vikings (who reportedly had Sims’ name on a card ready to steal from the Cowboys when they overran the clock), the Chiefs gave up their first-round pick and a third-round pick this year and a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft. That seems like a lot of picks to move up two spots.

But I digress. Maybe the Chiefs know something I don’t. As for Sims, I mentioned the hole he fills. The Chiefs needed a solid run-stopper, and Sims should be that and more.

The draft stock on Sims has been rising since the college all-star games, and down the stretch, some scouts talked about how Sims was a major part of the reason that new Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers played so well last season.

That makes a lot of sense. If you look at some of the defensive tackles in the NFL today, they make the team’s defensive ends that much better. For example, look no further than the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots last season. The Patriots drafted DT Richard Seymour in the first round to be a run stopper and line controller. Seymour stepped in and did just that. But a product of his performance was the improved play of DE Willie McGinest, when he was healthy.

Now, I’m not saying that the Chiefs are headed to the Super Bowl this season, but Sims could very well fill the same role for Kansas City. DEs Eric Hicks and Duane Clemons should benefit in the pass rush from Sims’ presence on the line. Sims will allow Hicks and Clemons to focus more on getting upfield than on staying put and containing the run.

Another beneficiary of Sims’ presence should be MLB Marvcus Patton, who won’t have to fight through blocker after blocker to stop the run. Sims is just the latest beneficiary of the Ravens’ defensive line dominance two seasons ago, and he won’t be the last.

After Baltimore showed the league the model of up-front defensive play with DTs Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams, teams have been lusting after big defensive tackles, and there’s no reason to think they’ll stop anytime soon.

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