The Kansas City Chiefs are likely going to lock down the offensive line in the first round of the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft, and most mock experts are targeting just that. In the first draft after the NFL Combine, Drafftek has the Chiefs taking Stanford guard David DeCastro at No. 11 overall, a very high spot for a guard but a choice most believe might be among the best bets in the entire draft.
Given their needs along the line overall for depth and talent, the pick wouldn’t be too much of a reach for Scott Pioli. The Drafttek report reads:
While OT remains the most likely position to be selected by the Chiefs, there are other options. Consider this, who is the best offensive line prospect in the draft? It may be Matt Kalil or it could be David DeCastro. The problem is, DeCastro plays Guard, a position with less value than Left Tackle. However, DeCastro has an amazing skill set. He is big, strong, and agile, with great fundamentals. He also has that “Merlin approved” mean streak. Plus, his leadership skills are excellent, and coming from Stanford, he is very intelligent.
It is no wonder that he is considered the best guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson. Essentially, he will lock down a offensive line spot for ten plus years at probably a near Pro Bowl level, at worst. Is that worth the #11 pick in the draft? If Scott Pioli does not like the Offensive Tackles on the board, the answer could very well be ‘Yes’.
If the Chiefs pull the trigger on this, they are still likely to grab a right tackle later in the draft or address it via free agency (perhaps Levi Brown enters the picture). But this would definitely strengthen the line tremendously wherever DeCastro ended up playing.