2017 NFL Draft Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Rasul Douglas
By Ben Almquist
The Kansas City Chiefs need to add some talent to the secondary. Rasul Douglas of West Virginia could be a great find in the middle rounds.
You’re wrong if you think the Kansas City Chiefs don’t need any help in the secondary. Simply put, the Chiefs cornerback position is in a delicate position. John Dorsey needs to look into investing in corners, and Rasul Douglas of West Virginia looks like a solid guy to add.
Yes, the Chiefs do have some talent at the position. Marcus Peters and Steven Nelson have locked down their respective roles. The team also has Terrance Mitchell, who emerged as a starter last year and handled himself well. However, Mitchell is a free agent after this year.
On top of that, the depth chart for the Chiefs has a lot of questions at corner. Phillip Gaines and Kenneth Acker both appear expendable. DJ White is young and has potential, but he has not shown he will be anything more than a backup. The position as a whole is very much in need of some stability
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The good news for the Chiefs is that this year’s draft class is absolutely loaded with talent at cornerback. John Dorsey even recently commented on the strength of the position. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Kansas City draft a corner in the first three rounds, and maybe another one later in the draft.
Rasul Douglas – CB – West Virginia
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It has been a long and tough road for Rasul Douglas to become an NFL prospect. However, the playmaking corner is now considered a quality draft prospect despite not being recruited much in high school. The All-Big12 cornerback was one of the best playmakers in all of college football last year.
Rasul Douglas has excellent height for the position with long arms, making him difficult to get the ball past. Reads the quarterbacks eyes and times his jumps very well. A ball hawk who shows strong hands to win contested passes. Makes every pass thrown his way a dangerous one.
The biggest issue for Rasul Douglas is that he isn’t an elite level athlete, when compared to other corners. Doesn’t have the long speed to match faster receivers down the field. Lacks the short area quickness to play underneath consistently. Douglas gets an advantage from his height, but his frame also hinders him in keeping up with receivers.
There is a lot to like about Rasul Douglas, but I ultimately see him as a depth option. That’s not a bad thing, as I think he’ll be the kind of depth player who makes the most of his opportunities. However, I think he has limitations that will keep him from being a starter. The Chiefs shouldn’t put all their hopes on him, but adding him later in the draft would be a solid move.
The Kansas City Chiefs secondary needs some attention from the front office. Though things are ok for now, there are some major questions about the future. The Chiefs should invest in solutions now so that they aren’t left scrambling this time next year.