Despite prognosticators for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft saying the stock for Baylor nose tackle Phil Taylor is sliding due to health concerns, the latest mock to emerge from draft guru Rick Gosselin says otherwise. Gosselin, of course, is not perfect, but he’s as researched as any journalist out there, and he’s perhaps the most sought-after NFL draft analyst for fans wanting an inside scoop.
If you’ll remember, Taylor’s stock has taken a hit due to medical reports about the bones in his feet growing together. The weight and pressure of a career in the defensive trenches allegedly concerned teams who could possibly take him. Then again, we should all remember by now that smoke and mirrors are the name of the game, so if there’s several reports slamming a kid, then one team most likely is trying to throw others off of his trail. Perhaps that team is the Kansas City Chiefs.
Gosselin’s latest mock is a needs-based one, so it’s hardly his prediction, yet the No. 21 spot is both where the Chiefs select and where Taylor’s stock is around its highest. The Chiefs also need some youth and size in the middle where incumbent starter Ron Edwards is the only holdover and even last year people thought it was a weakness. Another year in and Taylor looks even better.
The Chiefs could also go offensive line or outside linebacker here, but only time will tell whether Taylor’s draft stock was a volatile as some believed. Most likely, Taylor will be fine and the Chiefs might be the beneficiaries of such a pick. That’s what Gosselin seems to believe.