The 2012 NFL Draft will likely be known for two top quarterbacks at the very top in Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. The first will be selected by the Indianapolis Colts, and the second will go to whichever team likely trades up to get him. But even after that, Wes Bunting says this quarterback class is among the deepest positions and it’s rich enough that a starter can be found in later rounds as well.
That’s good news for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs who have already come out in support of Matt Cassel as one of starting options while also saying they will bring in competition for him. That’s assuming that Ricky Stanzi is not that competition, which means it will come from outside. That could mean a veteran quarterback like Kyle Orton or Jason Campbell or it might mean drafting a player.
If the Chiefs opt for the latter, Bunting says there’s plenty to choose from in 2012. He writes, “Not only does the quarterback class feature a pair of potential blue-chip guys at the top end of the draft in Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III. But there’s also a number of late first/second round wild cards who have the skill set to mature into potential starters as well, giving teams a number of opportunities to find their potential future franchise signal caller in the top-100 picks.”
His list of quarterbacks include Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osewiler and Kirk Cousins. Some of those names will slip into the first round like Ryan Tannehill and maybe even Weeden after a strong Senior Bowl showing. However, other names like Cousins have been mentioned for third round consideration. Simply put, it’s hard to tell where a guy like Osewiler will land in the draft at this point.
But the Chiefs have a fairly early choice in each round which means they might be able to grab a future starter at a later point than what you might believe. The surest bets will remain at the top, but Cincinnati found out last season about the benefits of waiting on Andy Dalton and striking elsewhere early in the draft. While others traded up for Gabbert and sank in the standings, Cincy went to the playoffs with a rookie under center.
With some impactful offensive weapons in place, the Chiefs might be able to do the same.