BTSC Community Mock Draft Pick No. 55 -- Kansas City Chiefs Select Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

Many thanks to WolfPackSteelersFan for the solid pick and writeup here at pick No. 55. I think whichever team lands this beast is going to be quite pleased. Next up: the New Orleans Saints, represented by WVPiratesFan. - Michael B. -

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Stephen Paea - DT, Oregon State University

In my research for this pick, I first checked out Pro-Football-Reference.com to see where the Chiefs ranked in Rushing and Passing Offense and Defense, respectively. I figured this would give me the first insight into their biggest needs. In terms of yards, they ranked 30th in Pass Offense, 17th in Pass Defense, 14th in Rush Defense, and 1st in Rush Offense. Based on that, my first thought was that they needed a big play WR, like Michael mentioned in their first round pick. I was hoping for Leonard Hankerson to fall to me, but he's gone, so I considered Randall Cobb as a worthy alternative. However, before choosing Cobb, I wanted to look at any top players that may have fallen to me.

Based on most of the lists that I have seen, only one player is a consensus value at the 55th pick: Stephen Paea. In checking different sites, I have seen him rated as high as 25-30 and as low as 45-50. I also checked with the good people over at Arrowhead Pride, and though the reviews were mixed, Paea seemed to be the consensus. Certainly not unanimous, but the consensus. I also asked them about Ras-I Dowling, since based on yardage rank, Pass Defense seemed to be a slightly bigger need than Rush Defense. But, anyone at AP that referred to DBs said that KC was in good shape on that front.

So, it seems to come down to Cobb, who doesn't seem to be a reach, and fills a greater need spot, or Paea, who seems to be a clear example of BPA in an area of need. In my review of Cobb, it sounds like he's a Reggie Bush type, sometimes lining up at RB, sometimes at WR. He has mainly been moved around in attempts to get him the ball in space, but he is not a complete WR at this time. Paea is a squat strong DT, but there are questions whether he can be a 3-4 NT. However, every review I have read indicates that he is best at stuffing the run. Based on his value at this position and my thought that a player with the same or possibly better wideout skills as Cobb will be available later on
in the draft, I'm going with Paea. I think that Paea will help shore up the run defense, while Wilson, in the first round, will help the LB corps, and the DBs should improve through experience.

CBS Sports.com/NFLDraftScout.com Overview:

Wide as a Coke machine and just as difficult to move, Paea (pronounced pie-uh) has developed into one of the nation's best run-stuffers. His development is staggering in the sense that he signed with Oregon State having only played three years of organized football.

A highly touted rugby player, Paea moved to the United States at age 16 and began playing football and learning the English language at that time. With only one season at Timpview High School, Paea signed with Snow Junior College, where he helped the Badgers finish the 2007 regular season undefeated and eventually ranked No. 3 in the country.

With Oregon State in 2008, Paea earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors with 41 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks. Despite being the object of every opponent's blocking scheme, Paea was similarly effective in 2009, registering 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and tying the school record with four forced fumbles. Pac-10 offensive linemen voted him the Morris Trophy as the conference's most dominant defensive lineman. Even more impressively, Paea repeated as the Morris Trophy winner in 2010, registering similar tackle numbers (45) and roughly doubling his efforts behind the line of scrimmage (10 TFLs, six sacks). He again posted four forced fumbles, giving him the school record of nine over his career.

Paea is a bit of a one-trick pony. He isn't agile enough to put consistent pressure on the quarterback at the NFL level. His ability to tie up blocks in the middle will lead teams to look at him closely over the first 50 picks of the 2011 draft no matter what scheme they utilize.

1. Carolina Panthers -- Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Denver Broncos -- Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
3. Buffalo Bills -- Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
4. Cincinnati Bengals -- Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
5. Arizona Cardinals -- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
6. Cleveland Browns -- 'The Snow Cone Machine' A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
7. San Francisco 49ers -- Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
8. Tennessee Titans -- Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
9. Dallas Cowboys -- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
10. Washington Redskins -- Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
11. Houston Texans -- Aldon Smith, DE/OLB, Missouri
12. Minnesota Vikings -- Tyron Smith, OT, USC
13. Detroit Lions -- JJ Watt, DE, Wisconsin
14. St. Louis Rams -- Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
15. Miami Dolphons -- Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
16. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Brooks Reed , DE, Arizona
17. New England Patriots -- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
18. San Diego Chargers -- Ryan Kerrigan, DE/OLB, Purdue
19. New York Giants -- Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
21. Kansas City Chiefs -- Martez Wilson, LB, Illinois
22. Indianapolis Colts -- Cameron Jordan, DL, California
23. Philadelphia Eagles -- Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
24. New Orleans Saints -- Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia
25. Seattle Seahawks -- Jake Locker, QB, Washington
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
27. Atlanta Falcons -- Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
28. New England Patriots -- Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
29. Chicago Bears --Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
30. New York Jets -- Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
31. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
32. Green Bay Packers -- Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor

ROUND 2

1. New England Patriots -- Cameron Hayward, DE, Ohio State (33rd overall)
2. Buffalo Bills -- Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame (34th overall)
3. Cincinnati Bengals -- Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State (35th overall)
4. Denver Broncos -- Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois (36th overall)
5. Cleveland Browns -- Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois (37th overall)
6. Arizona Cardinals -- Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada (38th overall)
7. Tennessee Titans -- Andy Dalton, QB, Texas Christian (39th overall)
8. Dallas Cowboys -- Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor (40th overall)
9. Washington Redskins -- Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh (41st overall)
10. Houston Texans -- Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (42nd overall)
11. Minnesota Vikings -- Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (43rd overall)
12. Detroit Lions -- Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina (44th overall)
13. San Francisco 49ers -- Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA (45th overall)
14. Denver Broncos -- Benjamin Ijalana, OL, Villanova (46th overall)
15. St. Louis Rams -- Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina (47th overall)
16. Oakland Raiders -- Stefan Wisniewski, OG/C, Penn State (48th overall)
17. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas (49th overall)
18. San Diego Chargers -- Leonard Hankerson, WR, University of Miami (50th overall)
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh (51st overall)
20. New York Giants -- Mason Foster, LB, Washington (52nd overall)
21. Indianapolis Colts -- Rodney Hudson, G/C, Florida State (53rd overall)
22. Philadelphia Eagles -- Marcus Cannon, OG, Texas Christian (54th overall)