Chiefs Rookie mini-camp begins this Friday, May 11th, and lasts through the 13th. During that time, the team will get their chance to look over the new players and get them adjusted to life in the NFL. Most of this time is spent for mental preparation, having hours on hours in the football-version of a class room. Little of that time is spent actually training, it's more about adjusting.
Just like with most rookie mini-camps, the majority of the players will not have been drafted, and will be fighting for their roster lives. So this mini-camp is especially important for them. Regardless, however, it's hard not to want to see how these players progress, not just in this rookie mini-camp, but in the OTA's and mandatory training camps that will take place in the near future.
A lot of these rookies will face an uphill battle to make the 53 man roster, while others are a guaranteed addition to the team. In the spirit of upcoming graduations, here are a few players that I will be keeping my eye on:
Most Likely to Turn Heads:
This one's tough. Dontari Poe is a giant of a man that can benchpress a Buick ran under a 5 second 40 yard dash. But just like at the combine, blazing speed is always the most impressive thing to watch up close, so I think Devon Wylie, the 4th round draft pick from San Diego State. He ran a 4.39 40 yard dash, one of the fastest at the combine, and since the adage is "you can't coach speed," I'm looking for Wylie to turn some heads this weekend and beyond.
Most Likely to Cause a Surprise Training Camp Cut:
Most of what fans heard after the draft was that Scott Pioli strategically made his selections for depth, with the hope they would develop into starters a year or two down the road. There is one player, however, whose presence might lead to the annual surprise training camp casuality. That player is 2nd round pick Jeff Allen, who is projected as the left guard of the future behind Ryan Lilja. If Allen adjusts to the guard position quickly (he played tackle all his college career), his future could be sooner than Lilja would like. I don't see this happening, but crazier things have.
Most Likely to Be Forced to Stop Tweeting:
It's becoming more and more common for teams to suggest (force) players to either limit their tweets or just get rid of their twitter account altogether. Imagine how long Larry Johnson could have averaged 2 yards per carry with the Chiefs if he hadn't gone and made a full of himself on the social networking sight! While I have yet to follow any of the players for that long of a time (I followed all the players as soon as they were drafted) and from what I've seen, all of them seem to be smart guys with the things they tweet, I am going with Junior Hemingway, 7th round pick from Michigan. This is not because of what he's said on twitter, but just from the massive amounts of tweets he sends out daily. But like I said, none of the Chiefs players have pulled a Larry Johnson from what I can tell.
Most Likely to Make the Practice Squad:
90 players can be invited to training camp; when the season starts, 53 players can be on the active roster. Some players, however, can be on the practice squad and stay with the team that way. While players that are versatile and can play a variety of positions, especially special teams, are the most likely to make it, I've got my eye on Cam Holland, the undrafted center out of North Carolina. Accoridng to CBS Sports, Holland was the 13th best center in last month's draft. He is, however, one of the largest. Weighing 315 lbs., only Peter Konz, the highest center taken in the draft, is larger. Standing 6-2, he's a little short compared to most centers coming out, but with his weight, that shouldn't matter. Holland, maybe because of the lack of depth at the center position on the Chiefs, has a good chance of sticking with the organization once the season gets underway.
Most Likely to Succeed:
This has to go to Dontari Poe. He's the Chiefs first round draft pick, and much like Tyson Jackson, I expect for him to be given every opportunity plus some to succeed in the NFL. Poe will be an immediate starter for the Chiefs, and with head coach Romeo Crennel being invested in his new nose tackle, I expect everybody in the Chiefs organization to make Poe's season and upcoming seasons successful. It's hard to determine the importance of a nose tackle by just looking at their statistics, but I think most fans will be able to tell while watching the game if Poe is getting dominated or not. I hope Poe lives up to the draft slot.
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