Posted by Michael David Smith on August 14, 2012, 8:10 AM EDT
When a team takes a player with the 11th pick in the NFL draft, that team is usually hoping that player can step in and start immediately. But the Chiefs selected nose tackle Dontari Poe with the 11th pick in this year’s draft, and not only is Poe not currently a starter, he may not even be second string.
The Kansas City Star reports that the real competition at nose tackle in Chiefs camp is between Anthony Toribio, who’s currently the starter, and Jerrell Powe, a 2011 sixth-round pick who played in only one game as a rookie but has looked good in camp and recorded a sack in the preseason opener.
“Toribio made some plays, which we liked,” Crennel said. “The young Poe, he’s still learning, and he gave good effort. He’s trying to learn to do the things the way we want them. He’s not there yet. And P-O-W-E . . . he got in there, he made a play. He’s improved from where he was last year. . . . It’s not a bad thing to have a couple or three guys to play the position, if they can do it.”
Crennel said before the preseason game that Poe needs a lot of work, and Poe’s first live action against another team confirmed that. Although Poe was perhaps the most impressive athlete at the Scouting Combine, he has a long way to go before he’s an impressive player on the field.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crennel knew along with Pioli what they got in Dontari Poe . I played I know it would take a minute for him to adjust having played all four D-line positions . Now with Romeo Crennel saying he's making a good effort means he has a way to go learning to master the NT position and refine his technique . When the light does off it goes off he'll know it Toribio said . Making some plays and giving good effort are no glaring endorsements in the cases of Toribio and Powe .
ReplyDeleteI believe Crennel wants Poe to realize nothings given and if you're going to be the man you have to be the man ! All three have done solid work , but not impacting with Toribio having a slight edge . Toribio has the experience of working with Anthony Pleasant defensive line coach for over a year . I don't care what you say the majority of NFL players at any position weren't impact players in their first year ! Don't give up on Poe yet , trust me Dontari Poe isn't going to be no Ryan Sims !
Powe wasn't a bad pick. He only got in one game last year? Now he is starting to show something worthy of possibly fulfilling what Coach wants. That only goes to show that even though Poe cant give what Coach wants right now, they are already planning on ways to get him on the field in other situations. The least of my concerns is Poe. If you tell me it takes 2 yrs to develop a Wilfolk (Wilfork) type of nose, I'll take it any day of the week. 1-2 years to learn, 7-8 years to dominate! Go Chiefs!
ReplyDeleteYou guys make excellent points. His mini-holdout didn't help, guys like this need all the work they can get.
ReplyDelete