The Kansas City Chiefs are one of several teams spending some considerable time with Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft. Whether or not they are highly interested is unknown. What’s also unknown is whether they have the ammo to move up and take him ahead of other possible destinations. But what is becoming more clear is that several NFL analysts are growing to love his potential.
Bill Polian is the latest to weigh in on Tannehill’s promise and believes that the thought of Tannehill landing at No. 3 or 4 overall is a spot he deserves.
"Tannehill merits the attention based upon talent and a very, very high upside," Polian said. "He has not played as much quarterback as have Griffin and Luck, but he is immensely talented and he is a winner and he is a high-character guy and a very exceptionally smart guy, so he’s got all the characteristics. This is real."
However anyone who wants Tannehill is undoubtedly going to have to move up to those aforementioned spots since it’s not likely he will slip through.
"People who are interested in Tannehill are going to look to come up there and perhaps even come up with Minnesota and try and get in front of the Browns … or do business with the Browns," Polian said. "There’s a lot of action right around that 3-4 spot. That’ll be where all the action is."
The Chiefs would have to pay at least next year’s No. 1 as well as the No. 11 pick and likely a couple more nice selections to be able to grab Tannehill. If they make that move, they are going to have to believe in Tannehill as much or more than Polian and that he’s a very significant upgrade over not only Matt Cassel but the other potential draftees in this year’s class. That’s not very likely.
For more on the Chiefs, head to Arrowhead Pride, and for more mock draft updates, head to SB Nation Kansas City's StoryStream.