The Kansas City Chiefs have lost several great young players to injury this season, and perhaps none hurt worse than defensive impact player Eric Berry. He was already a Pro Bowl safety last year after being the Chiefs first pick in the NFL Draft in 2010 at No. 5 overall. Yet to lose him for the season to a torn ACL might have made some fans wonder whether or not he would continue to develop and become the franchise player everyone was expecting. Apparently, the belief is that Berry is still at the top.
In a recent set of rankings over at ESPN, Matt Williamson notes that Berry is still atop a list that also includes Earl Thomas and Patrick Chung among others. He writes, "If any young safety has the potential to reach the level of Reed or Polamalu, it's Berry. But, of course, he was lost for the year with a torn ACL very early in the 2011 season and the ramifications of his loss can be felt throughout the Kansas City defense. Berry is capable of being great in every facet of the position described above. Hopefully his injury doesn't stunt his growth too much."
Chiefs fans can only hope that Berry can rehab back to his former place of health and impact on the field. Apparently, several still believe in his incredible talent.