Jerrell Powe and the Chiefs might be one of the better matches of a player’s apparent weakness and a team’s strength. Powe, a defensive tackle from Mississippi, was the Chiefs sixth round choice with incredible potential while lacking the consistent effort and conditioning to be taken higher. Yet fans and draft experts praised the selection for the possibilities Powe brings to the defensive interior.
Eli Kaberon, writer for Pro Football Weekly, says changes are on the way for Powe, as he’s being asked to lose some weight and come ready to play in better shape:
Jerrell Powe has barely spoken with his new coaches in Kansas City, after having been taken by the Chiefs in the sixth round of last week’s draft. Yet he already has an assignment: lose some weight. Powe weighed in at the NFL Scouting Combine at 335 pounds, which the team believed was too large for his 6-foot frame.
A classic nose tackle, Powe could be asked to play right away for a team that lacks playmakers in the middle of the defensive line. Without free agency, GM Scott Pioli hasn’t been able to address the position by bringing in a veteran, so as it stands, the rookie will backup Anthony Toribio, an inexperienced player with zero career starts.
Apparently the author forgot about Ron Edwards in house as well as Shaun Smith in a rotation. Simply put, there’s no way the Chiefs go into the season depending so much on Powe to be ready. However, the weight loss ideal is consistent with Haley’s team-wide program, so expect Powe to be in the best shape of his life.