2013 NFL Mock Draft: Will the Chiefs avoid a weak quarterback class and select Luke Joeckel?

The Kansas City Chiefs finished 2-14 this past season and scored the fewest points in the NFL. Matt Cassel was 1-7 in eight starts with six touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Brady Quinn was 1-7 in eight starts with two touchdowns and eight interceptions. Typically, this has been an area where a team will draft the next franchise quarterback, but are the Chiefs in a position to do that in the 2013 NFL Draft with the top overall pick?

Rob Rang of CBS Sports doesn't think so. With a quarterback class that is considered to be very weak at the top, and with several questions surrounding Geno Smith of West Virginia about how good he will be at the next level, Rang mocked left tackle Luke Joeckel out of Texas A&M as the top pick in the draft:

Joeckel, NFLDraftScout.com's top-rated prospect, played a significant, if somewhat unrecognized role in the rise of Ryan Tannehill a year ago and the Heisman campaign of Johnny Manziel. The Chiefs already boast a solid left tackle in Branden Albert but the former first round pick is entering free agency and could be looking for a big pay day, that frankly, his inconsistent play and durability doesn't really warrant.

With Joeckel, the Chiefs might have found a franchise left tackle that could help block for Jamaal Charles and whatever quarterback they eventually find. Matt Kalil was the top tackle taken in the 2012 draft and helped block for Adrian Peterson and his 2,000+ yard season.

However, not every top tackle has been a success. Jason Smith (2nd overall, 2009) quickly fell out of favor in St. Louis, and Robert Gallery (2nd overall, 2004) was eventually moved to guard. The last tackle taken with the top pick however, Jake Long to the Dolphins in 2008, has worked out pretty good.

If this is the route that Kansas City takes, there should be other opportunities for Andy Reid to find a quarterback of the future, or at least a quarterback not named Cassel.