rush SAM or a MIKE linebacker."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Kansas City Chiefs NewsOpen ThreadsFull ArchiveLibrary Community GuidelinesContact InformationOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁?5 Days of Draftmas: Jahlani Tavai could offer linebacker depth at multiple positionsNew Mecole Hardman black jersey ,6commentsThe Chiefs could add a player late that could fit as a rush SAM or a MIKE linebacker.CDTShareTweetShareShare25 Days of Draftmas: Jahlani Tavai could offer linebacker depth at multiple positionsStephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY SportsA very Merry Draftmas to you! It’s 25 Days of Draftmas on Arrowhead Pride, where we’ll be giving you a Kansas City Chiefs draft prospect every day in April leading up to the NFL Draft. You’ll get a daily prospect profile like this one right up until Draft Day.Jahlani Tavai, linebackerThomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports6’2” | 250 lbs | HawaiiProjected draft range: day threeCombine: didn’t participate due to shoulder injuryI would take him: round fiveOne-sentence bio: two-time All-American in rugby, three-time All-Mountain West nomineeOne-sentence scouting report: versatile linebacker that can set the edge, drop into coverage and is an effective blitzerOne play:How he fits in KC: Tavai is an ideal depth candidate for Kansas City in 2019. His comfort level as a rush SAM, MIKE and WILL linebacker in a 4-3 Under system make him a perfect player to groom behind the Chiefs starters. He has good range and exceptional short-area quickness. This quickness allows him to trigger downhill and meet the ball carrier with full force in the gap. He’s long enough to set the EDGE in the run game and will give little ground against blocking tight ends. In man coverage, he shows plenty of ability to drop and carry players vertically, as well as being able to kick out into the flats against a running back. He regularly disrupts the quarterback with his blitzing ability, making him a good fit with Spagnuolo’s higher blitz tendencies.Tavai is coming off of a serious shoulder injury and teams will have to monitor it to make sure that he’s healthy enough to contribute in 2019. While he’s good in man coverage, he struggles a little bit with his spot drops in zone. He tends to squeeze other zones and drops to an “exact” spot, rather than reading and flowing with the play. He will need work with deconstructing blocks between the tackles, as offensive linemen tend to stick on him and take him out of the play. He’ll also need to work on squaring up and anchoring when making the tackle — too often the ball carrier was able to gain extra yards going through Tavai.There are a lot of question marks about the Chiefs linebacking corps, and even more, going forward in 2020. Tavai is a talented player that could definitely up the quality of the group and offer a starting spot at the SAM linebacker position in the future. He would likely be a special teams player in 2019 Mecole Hardman Jersey Mens , but his upside and potential contribution are precisely what the Chiefs should be looking for in a day three pick.Want to read more player profiles from Arrowhead Pride’s 25 Days of Draftmas? Click here for the complete list. And to stay informed on the players in which the Chiefs have shown interest, be sure to check out AP’s Chiefs draft prospect visit and workout tracker.KC Draft GuideThe first-ever edition of the KC Draft Guide is live! You can purchase it for only $9.99! We have over 225 prospect write-ups like this one, with specifics about how prospects fit the Chiefs. There are more than 300 grades on players, mock drafts, positional rankings and features — all specific to the Chiefs. Grab your copy by clicking here!Loading... KANSAS CITY, Mo. 鈥?Patrick Mahomes awoke early on Tuesday to open presents with his little sister and the rest of his family, then the Chiefs quarterback hopped in his car for a quick trip to Arrowhead Stadium.Where he watched film. On Christmas.He got in his usual couple of hours of game-week prep on what is typically a day off for NFL teams, then hopped back in his car and headed home for the family feast.Then he watched more film. Still on Christmas.It’s that dedication to Mahomes’ craft that has helped the second-year pro become an MVP candidate as a first-time starter. He already has shattered numerous franchise records, including yards passing and TD passes in a single season, and Mahomes has positioned Kansas City for a third straight AFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a victory Sunday over Oakland.The biggest wild card for the Chiefs entering the season has become their one constant.“It’s the process. You set up the schedule for a reason,” Mahomes said Wednesday, when the rest of the Chiefs returned to practice.“You follow the same schedule 鈥?game plan, watch film, practice 鈥?and you do the same things you’ve been doing to have success.”At this point Mecole Hardman Jersey Cheap , why would Mahomes deviate from his routine?He’s thrown 48 touchdown passes to lead the NFL by a dozen, and his 4,816 yards passing trail only Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He leads the league in yards per attempt among QBs that have started all season, and only the Saints’ Drew Brees has a better quarterback rating.Speaking of ratings, Mahomes only has had three games in which his rating has failed to reach 100, and the Chiefs still won all of those games. He’s thrown a TD pass in every game except one, and that was a 30-14 rout of Jacksonville.And he’s thrown at least three touchdown passes in 10 games, with a pair of six-touchdown efforts in shootouts against the Patriots and Rams.“You just trust the process,” Mahomes said in explaining his unflappable nature. “Trust that your teammates are going to make the big plays they’ve made all year, and trust in my ability not to do too much. You just play the same game you’ve played all year.”Or the same game he’s played his whole life.Few were convinced that Mahomes would seamlessly transition from the Air Raid system of Texas Tech to the versatile, complex West Coast offense of Andy Reid. But the Chiefs coach saw enough of him last season in practice that Reid was willing to trade away Alex Smith and give him a shot.Now, the Chiefs are promoting Mahomes in MVP hype videos as they barrel toward the playoffs.“I am happy for all these guys, whatever accolades they get,” Reid said. “Patrick has worked hard for all of that stuff. There are a lot of great players in this league Carlos Hyde Jersey , so all the sudden you get pointed out as doing that, it’s important. Then it’s important to get back to what is real and that’s the game. But I am happy for him. A lot of work went into that for him.”Right, the game. The one that Mahomes was in the film room prepping for on Christmas, while the rest of his family was relaxing at home. The Chiefs have already squandered two chances to lock up the division title, and they could fall all the way to the No. 5 seed with a loss Sunday.So it makes sense that Mahomes was cramming for the Raiders on Tuesday.Even if it didn’t mean straying from the norm.“Everybody is excited for the opportunity,” Mahomes said, “getting to play a division opponent, a rival in our division, then get to play at Arrowhead Stadium. We want to stay here from here on out. If we come out and play like we know we can, we can make a run at this thing.”Notes: RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returned to practice for the first time since breaking his fibula and tearing ligaments in Week 5 against Jacksonville. It begins a three-week window in which Duvernay-Tardif can get up to speed. “We’ll just bring him back gradually,” Reid said. “It’s just a matter of getting caught up with the speed of the game.” … Reid said WR Sammy Watkins was out of a walking boot and “moving around,” though his return remains uncertain. He hasn’t played a full game since early November.