Kansas City Chiefs Draft Day Bargains: Five Best Value Picks

Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

2. DE Jared Allen, 4th round 2004 (126th overall), Idaho State—In 2004, the Kansas City Chiefs drafted the small-school product Jared Allen because they were looking for a long-snapper that could also hold down a position as a backup position player.

Instead, a guy that they hoped could effectively add an extra player to the bottom of the roster, turned into one of the NFL’s best pass rushers in the last decade.

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Scouts largely discounted Allen’s 17.5 sacks as a college senior due to the low-level of competition he faced at Idaho State. You’d have thought people might have gotten a clue when Jared Allen won the Buck Buchanon award as the best defensive lineman in FCS football.

Yet, Allen only went in the 4th round as much for his long-snapping abilities as his play at defensive end. Part of the problem might have been a mostly unimpressive combine which made scouts think Allen lacked the strength to hold up as an NFL defensive lineman due to only putting up 13 reps on the bench press.

Allen immediately proved the pundits wrong when then-coach Dick Vermeil raved about Allen’s leverage during training camp. Allen went on to win a job at defensive end and led the team with 9.0 sacks his rookie year.

Allen recorded 43.0 sacks in a four-year Kansas City career, including 15.5 in 2007 that led the entire NFL that season and earned him both a pro-bowl berth and 1st team All-pro honors.

He never did snap a ball for special teams.

The Chiefs dealt him to the Minnesota Vikings before the 2008 draft due to an acrimonious contract dispute paired with concerns about Allen’s two DUI’s.

While Allen has gone on to 4 more pro-bowls and has added 85.5 sacks in the last 6 years, the Chiefs obtained good value for him. With the 1st and two 3rd round picks the Chiefs got for Allen, they added pro-bowl LT Brandon Albert and current offensive cornerstone Jamaal Charles—who merely leads all NFL running backs in career yards-per-carry (5.6), along with 2 1st team All-pro nods and 3 pro-bowls.

With LT Brandon Albert signing a massive 5-yr $46 million free-agent contract with Miami, the team is likely to reap a 3rd round compensation pick in 2015.

Jared Allen has become the draft day gift that keeps on giving.

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