The Chiefs had stock-piled picks in the 2008 draft, and used them on Saturday to move back in the first-round of the draft and take guard Brandon Albert with the 15h pick of the draft. He is a bit undersized, but at the same time, has that first-round ability and showed enough in workouts to garner the pick. The Chiefs really needed to rebuld their O-line, and this was a good move for a team that needs to keep getting young.

Here is a scouting report on Albert from NFLdraftcountdown.com

Strengths:
Excellent size with a big frame and long arms…Fantastic athlete…Good quickness and agility…Strong and physical…Is nasty with a killer instinct…Mobile with decent range to pull and get to the second level…Smart with good awareness…Excellent pass blocker and also gets a decent push in the run game…Real versatile..Leader with great intangibles…Tough and durable..Still improving and has a lot of upside.

Weaknesses:
Still has some work to do in the technique department…Can be inconsistent with his leverage…Motor runs hot and cold at times..Not a dominant run blocker…Has to work on holding his blocks and finishing….He is still relatively new to the game.

Notes:
Did not begin playing football until his junior year of high school in 2002..Was also a standout basketball player as a prep…Stepped in as a true freshman and was a three-year starter for the Cavs ( 36 games )…Named a team captain as a junior in 2007…He started a couple of games at left tackle as a junior in place of an injured Eugene Monroe and could possibly play outside at the pro level as well…First-rate talent with exceptional physical tools….Already a great all-around player however his best days are still ahead…The rare offensive guard who is a legit first rounder.

And here is ESPN’s take on Albert:

Albert lined up at guard for most of his college career, which is a concern because the Chiefs will likely play him at tackle. However, he has great athletic ability for his size, solid footwork and moves well in open space. But he does struggle to adjust when tracking moving targets on the second level. Also, Albert plays with an attitude and brings a nasty streak to the field, and he does a great job of finishing. All that being said, a Chiefs team that had several needs coming into the draft has done an excellent job of improving its lines on both sides of the ball.

The Chiefs lost their last nine games of the 2007 season, have a rebuilding mode ahead of them, and with that, they will start that mode with defense.  Saturday in New York the Chiefs future turned into the what many think is the best player of the draft, as they selected LSU DT Glenn Dorsey.  The 297-pound stud looked overwhelmed when the phone rang with the pick, and the Chiefs are hoping that they are getting a player that will overwhelm ball carriers and QB’s at Arrowhead Stadium in 2008.

Here is a scouting report on Dorsey from NFLdraftcountdown.com

Strengths:
Very strong and powerful…Extremely active with a non-stop motor…Outstanding quickness with a burst to close…A hard worker with terrific intangibles…Agile and changes directions well…Can penetrate and wreak havoc in the backfield…Stout at the point of attack and can hold his ground versus the run…Has long arms and plays with very good leverage…Has excellent range…Smart with nice awareness and instincts…Has a lot of experience…Versatile and has played all along the line.

Weaknesses:
Size and bulk are merely average…Timed speed is good but not great…Has dealt with some injuries and durability may be a concern…Will not be a good fit in a 3-4 scheme…Was not overly productive from a statistical standpoint…Does not get a great push…Won’t physically dominate opponents…Isn’t a standout pass rusher.

Notes:
Wore metal braces on his legs as a 3-year old due to severely bowed legs…Split time with future pros Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams early in his career..In ‘07 he won the Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award and the Lombardi Award…A player whose impact and contributions can’t be judged strictly by numbers since he creates so many opportunities for his teammates…Struggled with a leg injury in 2006 and a knee injury in 2007…Might have been a Top 10 overall pick had he entered the 2007 NFL Draft after his junior season…Can be either a 3-technique or a nose tackle in a 4-3 defense…One of the best defensive tackle prospects to enter the NFL in recent years…Should be a mortal lock for the Top 5 overall picks.

Defensive end Jared Allen is changing teams.  The “Kansas City Star” reports the Chiefs have traded their franchise player to the Minnesota Vikings.  Allen agreed to a new six-year deal with Minnesota worth nearly $74-million.  The deal will guarantee Allen more than $31-million.  KC will reportedly receive the Vikes’ first-round pick and a pair of third-round picks in this weekend’s NFL Draft.  The teams will also swap sixth-round selections, with the Vikings getting the higher pick.  Allen led the league in sacks last season with 15-and-a-half.

Today the Chiefs had their say in the matter, and did something that most teams don’t do, which is confirm that they indeed are looking at options when it comes to Allen’s future in red.  “We will confirm that we have been in conversation with a few teams regarding the possibility of acquiring Jared Allen’s contractual rights,” team president and G.M. Carl Peterson said.  “Any potential agreement would be contingent on the Chiefs receiving appropriate compensation and Jared’s representative reaching a contract agreement.

“Jared is not an exclusive franchise player.  Therefore, based on the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, he has the right to visit and negotiate with other teams.  However, for any trade to be completed, the Chiefs would need to reach an agreement on compensation.  At this point, all of these discussions are preliminary.”

While the discussions may not be hot and heavy right now, if the Chiefs want to make the move before the draft, expect talks to heat up to a fever pitch this next week, as they would want to pound out a deal before next Saturday’s draft.