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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Steelers in 2012.

Dream scenario (13-3): Losing a handful of veterans this offseason won't impact the Steelers' play on the field. The Steelers show last year's division champion (the Ravens) and the division's upstart team (the Bengals) that they still own the division as long as Ben Roethlisberger is healthy and the defense is at full strength. A return trip to the Super Bowl would follow their pattern (Pittsburgh went in the 2008 and 2010 seasons).

Roethlisberger thrives in Todd Haley's offense much like Kurt Warner did. The biggest change is a quicker release, which will allow Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders to show off their elusiveness and make yards after the catch. The offensive line becomes the best in the AFC North with center Maurkice Pouncey staying healthy, right tackle Marcus Gilbert continuing to develop, and rookies David DeCastro and Mike Adams living up to expectations.

The Steelers' pass rush is even stronger this season because James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley will be on the field together for more than a handful of games this year. The run defense is bolstered by the return of nose tackle Casey Hampton, who is able to start the season despite having knee surgery in January. The combination of Larry Foote and Stevenson Sylvester make up for the loss of inside linebacker James Farrior.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): Pittsburgh underestimates the loss of leadership after parting ways with Farrior, Hines Ward, Aaron Smith and Chris Hoke. The Steelers also struggle more than expected with the injuries to Hampton and running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee surgery in January). It's tough to win in one of the top divisions in football when you're not at full strength.

The key to any Steelers season is the health of Roethlisberger. While the Steelers' offensive line has the potential to rank among the best, this year could be a transitional one as well. Roethlisberger could take a good number of hits behind a line that starts two rookies and moves tackle Willie Colon to guard. Losing Roethlisberger will result in a losing season. Pittsburgh would then have to depend more on a running game without Mendenhall. Isaac Redman has shown flashes, but he is a question mark as a featured back.

Defensively, the run defense becomes vulnerable in the middle with the injury to Hampton and the loss of Farrior. Hampton starts the season on the physically unable to perform list and Steve McLendon and rookie Alameda Ta'amu can't fill the void. The pass defense takes a step back if one of the young cornerbacks (Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown) can't replace William Gay.

Willie Colon confirmed what has been speculated since the NFL draft -- the Pittsburgh Steelers intend to have two rookies start on their offensive line this year.

Colon told WDVE in Pittsburgh that he is officially moving from right tackle to left guard. "I like it," Colon said. "It's just a matter of learning the verbiage."

This move allows first-round pick David DeCastro and second-rounder Mike Adams to start immediately. Based on what Colon said, the Steelers' offensive line likely will look like this: Adams at left tackle, Colon at left guard, Maurkice Pouncey at center, DeCastro at right guard and Marcus Gilbert at right tackle.

The end result is the Steelers are much stronger with this lineup as long as Adams shows he's strong enough to start right away. There's no doubt that DeCastro, the best guard in the draft, is ready to start from Week 1. The key to keeping this offensive line this way is the development of Adams. I'm in favor of not waiting to make the switch. The Steelers drafted these linemen to add stability and get away from what happened last season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Steelers used a league-high 25 different offensive line combinations in 2011.

In making the move, Pittsburgh is bumping two formerly undrafted guards (Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster) in favor of its top two picks in this year's draft (DeCastro and Adams). That's a major upgrade in talent level.

The Steelers showed their commitment to making this move by how long it took for them to make it. The team called Colon right after the draft to inform him of the change. "My only issue would have been don't move me midway through camp," he said.

Colon also revealed more about the scheme with him and DeCastro at the guard positions. "You should expect both of us pulling," Colon said. "I think we're going to be a lot more balanced."

It's not a newsflash that the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted David DeCastro. Pittsburgh selected the Stanford guard with the 24th overall pick, taking him over Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

But how much the Steelers coveted DeCastro will probably surprise you. According to NFL Network, the Steelers had a draft-day trade in place with the New York Jets to move up to No. 16, one spot ahead of the Bengals, and take DeCastro.

The Jets were reportedly willing to fall back to the Steelers' spot at No. 24 to get pass-rushing defensive linemen Bruce Irvin or Quinton Coples. Once the Seahawks surprisingly chose Irvin at No. 15, the Jets backed out of the trade with the Steelers and drafted Coples, NFL Network reported.

On April 26, the night of the first round, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was asked if the team had attempted to trade up for DeCastro after selecting him. "I’ll leave that to the imagination," Colbert said last month. "I’ll just say again, we identified several guys that we thought we would entertain trading up to get, and this kid was one of them."

You could tell the Steelers were excited to get DeCastro that night because they used the word "excited" three times in Colbert and Mike Tomlin's opening statement about DeCastro. In the end, the Steelers still got the top-rated guard in the draft by staying put and not losing draft picks.

It's not known what the Steelers were willing to give up, but they might have had to trade their picks in the third and fourth rounds to move up for DeCastro, according to the draft trade chart. Pittsburgh selected linebacker Sean Spence in the third round and moved up in the fourth for nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu. The Steelers' entire draft would have looked completely different and wouldn't have been as strong.

The reason behind the trade was getting in front of the Bengals, who had been heavily linked to DeCastro leading up to the draft. But Cincinnati was more interested in Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler than DeCastro. The Bengals passed on DeCastro at No. 17 (when they chose Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick) and No. 21 (when they traded back to No. 27). According to the Bengals' official website, the team got an extra third-round pick to fall back six spots to get Zeitler, who would've been their choice if they remained at No. 21.

Scouts Inc.'s Gary Horton rated the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line as one of the three most improved units in the AFC after the draft and free agency.

The obvious reasons are the additions of the Steelers' top two draft picks, guard David DeCastro and offensive tackle Mike Adams. But there's another reason Pittsburgh should be better up front -- the health of Maurkice Pouncey.

The Pro Bowl center said he is 100 percent following offseason surgery to remove bone spurs that made his left ankle unstable, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The ankle has been a nagging problem for Pouncey since he injured it in the AFC Championship Game against the New York Jets two seasons ago. It's forced him to miss the Steelers' past two postseason games.

Pouncey missed the Super Bowl against Green Bay because of the ankle injury, and he aggravated it in practice four days before last season's playoff game at Denver. He had ankle surgery in mid-January and had the cast removed in late February.

During the rookie minicamp, Adams also told reporters that he would play exclusively at left tackle. If the Steelers plan on starting him, it would mean Marcus Gilbert would stay at right tackle.

Months of mocks and related analysis did not adequately prepare us for a half-dozen selections in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

NFC West teams made two of those surprise selections: Bruce Irvin to the Seattle Seahawks and A.J. Jenkins to the San Francisco 49ers. I've listed four others in the chart below after consulting with our other seven divisional bloggers.

While it's possible the teams involved made poor decisions in some cases, accounting for the surprise factor, there's no question the rest of us could have done a better job anticipating. I'll set aside the Dallas Cowboys' selection of cornerback Morris Claiborne. We knew Dallas could take a corner, but there was little way we could know the Cowboys would trade into the sixth overall spot to make it happen.

But in breaking down the other surprise selections, we can hopefully avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

Mistaken identity

Jenkins and New York Giants first-round running back David Wilson fall into this category.

We knew the 49ers could target a receiver early. We figured running back would be a position for the Giants to address. We simply misidentified the players they were most likely to select.

I had projected Kendall Wright to San Francisco in a mock draft several weeks ago, but Tennessee selected him 20th overall, 10 spots before the 49ers selected. Stephen Hill and Rueben Randle, among others, were popular projections.

The knock on Jenkins was that he lacked sufficient physical strength. The 49ers are a very physical team. They have valued physical players. Josh Morgan was a physical wideout the team would have retained if Washington hadn't made an over-the-top contract offer.

In retrospect, however, perhaps we should have more closely considered the receivers San Francisco did sign this offseason. Mario Manningham has never been known as a physical player. Ted Ginn Jr. is not physical at all.

The 49ers now have drafted two wide receivers under coach Jim Harbaugh. Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick in 2011, was the one before Jenkins. Lack of physical strength was a knock on Johnson coming out of college.

So far, the 49ers have done a very good job evaluating personnel at just about every position, but receiver has been an exception. Perhaps that changes with Jenkins.

For the Giants, Doug Martin was the running back projected as a first-round candidate somewhat regularly. Tampa Bay drafted Martin at No. 31, one spot ahead of where the Giants were picking. That gave this draft three first-round backs, one more than was typically projected.

Scheme considerations

Irvin and Chicago Bears first-round defensive end Shea McClellin fall into this category.

We could put Irvin in the mistaken identity category as well because the Seahawks' need for a pass-rusher was well-established. But the projections commonly assumed Seattle would be looking for a more traditional defensive end, one big enough to hold up against the run.

In retrospect, we should have at least mentioned Irvin as a possibility.

Seattle gave run-stuffing defensive end Red Bryant a $35 million contract this offseason. Bryant is going to start and play early downs for the next few seasons. That meant the Seahawks were in the market only for a player in the "Leo" role filled by leading sacker Chris Clemons.

Irvin is that type of player. The other defensive ends commonly associated with Seattle before the draft were not "Leo" types. They would have projected as eventual starters on the other side, where Bryant appears entrenched.

What the Seahawks needed, from their perspective, was a pure pass-rusher to play a situational role similar to the one Aldon Smith played with San Francisco last season. That player, Irvin, would project as the eventual replacement for Clemons, most likely.

Syracuse's Chandler Jones, a common projection for Seattle in the days before the draft, could have fit that profile. Concerns over a toe injury probably hurt his stock.

In Chicago, meanwhile, the Bears' need for a defensive end was no secret. However, most projections seemed to suggest McClellin would make more sense as a 3-4 outside linebacker, perhaps in Green Bay. In retrospect, however, Bears assistant Rod Marinelli does tend to like smaller defensive ends. Perhaps McClellin should have been considered more strongly as a candidate for Chicago.

Positional evaluation error

I'd throw Stanford guard David DeCastro into this category.

The assumption heading into the draft was DeCastro would not be available when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 24th overall choice. As a result, DeCastro wasn't commonly linked to Pittsburgh before the draft.

But as we discussed on the blog a while back, teams had taken only five pure guards among the top 17 overall selections since 1995. Only one had gone higher than 17th since 1998.

Guards have made significant gains in financial compensation over the years. However, teams still value other positions at a much higher level. Guard was a common projection for San Francisco at No. 30, but the 49ers did not select one until the fourth round.

Conclusion

There's a tendency to criticize teams for making decisions we did not see coming.

That is self-serving.

I'd rather take a closer look at the surprises and find out where the rest of us went wrong.

Something tells me that the Pittsburgh Steelers' plan for the draft started and ended toward the end of the 2011 season when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a high ankle sprain, his latest and most severe injury of the year.

This became clear to the Steelers, as well as anyone owning a Terrible Towel: Pittsburgh can't make a Super Bowl run with a limping Roethlisberger.

Fast-forward from the deflating playoff loss in Denver to this week's NFL draft. Pittsburgh used its first-round pick on Stanford guard David DeCastro and its second-rounder on Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams. Roethlisberger has to be smiling after hearing the Steelers picked up the best guard in this draft class and a potential franchise left tackle.

The Steelers aren't building an offensive line. They're putting together a security detail for their most valuable player.

The days of plugging in Jonathan Scott and Doug Legursky are over. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this marks the first time since 1968 that the Steelers drafted offensive linemen in the first two rounds.

Taking DeCastro ranks as one of the best picks in the entire first round. While I think it's a risk, albeit a calculated one, to select Adams in the second round with his character issues, you have to respect that the Steelers laid out a plan and are sticking to it.

It's difficult to frown about the Steelers' intentions after watching Roethlisberger grimace in pain week after week, year after year. From 2005 to 2010, Roethlisberger fractured his right thumb, tore cartilage in his right knee, separated his right shoulder, broke his nose and fractured a bone in his right foot. In 2011 alone, he sprained his left foot, fractured his right thumb again and suffered a high ankle sprain.

The scary part for the Steelers is that defenses were hitting Roethlisberger without blitzing. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he was sacked 26 times against a standard pass rush of four or fewer defenders last season. It was the second most sacks allowed against a standard rush in the NFL.

Some might say that's a result of Roethlisberger holding onto the ball too long. But this is really a poor reflection on a struggling offensive line. There were times when you expected Roethlisberger to shake his head after getting to his feet following a sack. That is, if Roethlisberger didn't break a bone.

Pittsburgh now can line up in the season opener in Denver with four starters who were drafted in the first or second round recently. This rebuilding project started in 2010, when the Steelers used the 18th overall pick on center Maurkice Pouncey. It continued last season when they selected offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert in the second round.

The big push to fortify the protective wall for Roethlisberger came Thursday and Friday. DeCastro is a Steeler because of luck. He landed in Pittsburgh's lap after 23 teams passed on the best guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson in 2001.

"David was one of the guys we had targeted to move up to get," general manager Kevin Colbert told reporters Thursday. "Excellent intangibles. Character. Tough. Leader. Smart. Everything you can ask for in a football player, this kid encompasses it."

Adams is with the Steelers because the team took a leap of faith with him. According to the Post-Gazette, Adams tested positive for marijuana use at the NFL combine in February and lied about it. A native of Farrell, Pa., and a lifelong Steelers fan, Adams requested a face-to-face meeting with Colbert, Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin to explain himself.

Colbert informed Adams that he was taken off the Steelers' draft board. But, because Adams made the drive, the team gave him a chance to redeem himself. After Adams met all of the Steelers' requirements, which included counseling, Colbert said he was back on the board with a first-round grade.

"Quite honestly, I’m not so much worried about the reward as I am about the young man getting his life in order," Colbert said. "In this case, we felt comfortable that he is going to do that. Whether he does or not, nobody knows, including me, him and everybody associated with this."

Adams is definitely a question mark. But the Steelers feel he can be the answer, much like Gilbert proved to be last year after being selected in the second round. The alternative is more instability on the offensive line. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Steelers used a league-high 25 different offensive line combinations last season.

So while other teams in the NFL are reaching for wide receivers and taking a punter in the third round, the Steelers are making the smart moves. The focus of this draft is protecting Roethlisberger, and Pittsburgh has done everything in its power to do that this season.

The focus of the Steelers' draft has been building an offensive line to better protect Ben Roethlisberger.

After taking guard David DeCastro in the first round, the Steelers selected Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams in the second. But, unlike DeCastro, Adams is a risk.

Adams has the look of being a franchise left tackle. He is considered the most athletic tackle in this draft class. The reason Adams fell to the Steelers at No. 56 is a reported failed a drug test at the NFL combine and a questionable motor in games last season.

If Adams can live up to potential, he could start at left tackle and allow Marcus Gilbert to remain on the right side. The Steelers might have found long-term answers at tackle in the second round the past two seasons.

Here's a quick scouting report on Adams from Scouts Inc.:

Pros: Long, agile and naturally gifted enough to protect blind-side in NFL. Quick and long enough to ride edge rushers past the pocket. Flashes a strong punch and the ability to knock edge rushers off course. Quick enough to get into position and can wall off defenders. Flashes a mean streak. Shows the ability to be aggressive and physical.

Cons: Flashes ability to move defenders off the ball but leg drive is inconsistent and doesn't sink hips enough to consistently generate push versus bigger defensive linemen. Does a good job of picking up traditional blitzes and line stunts in pass pro but confusing looks can give his problems. Does not show great natural instincts when forced to think on the fly. Below-average upper body strength -- benched 225 just 19 times at the combine.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. named the Pittsburgh Steelers among his winners in Thursday night's first round. No other AFC North teams made his list of winners or question marks.

It's an Insider piece , so you'll need a subscription to read the entire article. Here's what Kiper had to say about the Steelers, who selected Stanford guard David DeCastro at No. 24:

Nothing sexy about this, but the value is off the charts. For instance, the first six guys on my Big Board make up the first six picks in the draft. Only two guys in my top 10 didn't get drafted in the top 10. Melvin Ingram fell to No. 18, and DeCastro falls all the way to No. 24. Again, nothing thrilling -- no nifty trade to swoop in and get top value, but look at the interior of that offensive line now. Maurkice Pouncey and DeCastro are both studs, and I had guard as a key need for Pittsburgh.

DeCastro certainly adds stability to the Steelers' offensive line. Last season, four linemen started at least two games at guard for Pittsburgh: Chris Kemoeatu, Ramon Foster, Doug Legursky and Trai Essex.

While most of the attention focused on the Steelers getting the best guard available (Stanford's David DeCastro), they quietly made an important addition even before the draft began. Pittsburgh agreed to terms on a one-year deal with quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Bringing back Charlie Batch less than two weeks ago was an insurance policy if the Steelers couldn't keep Leftwich. Now, Leftwich is the favorite to be the primary backup to Ben Roethlisberger, as long as he remains healthy. He has started 49 games and passed for 10,260 yards and 58 touchdowns.

Leftwich, 32, is five years younger than Batch, and is a more viable option to lead an offense if Roethlisberger went down for an extended period. The Steelers have always preferred Leftwich to Batch. Leftwich was supposed to start for the suspended Roethlisberger in 2010, but he hurt his knee in the final preseason game. He was also projected to be the team's No. 2 quarterback last season before breaking his arm in the preseason.

The Steelers now have five quarterbacks on the roster: Roethlisberger, Leftwich, Batch, former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, and Jerrod Johnson. Striking a deal with Leftwich decreases the chances of Pittsburgh drafting a quarterback in the later rounds.

All the AFC North teams got better in the first round Thursday night. That's saying a lot, because this division only had one pick in the top half of the first round.

The Browns got the draft's best running back (Trent Richardson). The Steelers got the best guard (David DeCastro). The Bengals addressed needs at cornerback and guard, and gained a third-round pick (93rd overall) from the Patriots. And the Ravens gained a fourth-round pick (98th overall) from the Vikings for sliding from No. 29 to No. 35.

Here's how I graded the newest additions to the division:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Grade: B.

Hensley's comment: This would have been an 'A' first round for the Bengals if they stayed at No. 21 and drafted DeCastro. The Bengals recovered well with Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler, but an extra third isn't worth losing out on the best guard in the draft since Steve Hutchinson. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is a solid, but not spectacular pick.

What the Bengals are saying ... Head coach Marvin Lewis: "I think in both players they have opportunities to start, and work their way into the lineup. We drafted both of them to play. We came in here hoping to cover a couple of needs for the future in the first round. I think we’ve been able to do that in picking the cornerback and the interior offensive lineman."

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Grade: B.

Hensley's comment: The Browns made a great move by trading up to get Richardson, but followed it up with a questionable one by taking quarterback Brandon Weeden in the first round. Cleveland should've taken Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff or Stanford guard David DeCastro at No. 22, or traded back to get Weeden. Taking him that high in the draft is a reach.

What the Browns are saying ... Head coach Pat Shurmur: "When we don't hand it to Trent, we'll have Brandon throw it in there. He's displayed the ability to get his team in the end zone and win games. We all know the importance of the quarterback position, and we're addressing it to the point that we have a guy that we think is our guy as we move forward."

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Grade: Incomplete.

Hensley's comment: You can't give a grade until you see who the Ravens take at No. 35. Baltimore gained a fourth-round pick for falling back six spots. This will be a strong grade if the Ravens can get Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw in the second round.

What the Ravens are saying ... General manager Ozzie Newsome: "You can’t control what’s going to happen. When you watch the board come off like it did today, to have the ability to go back and acquire another player and still get a player that you probably would have picked at your pick is good business for us.”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Grade: A-plus.

Hensley's comment: The Steelers are among the NFL's best drafting teams. The rest of the NFL made it easier for Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The Steelers, who need to upgrade at guard, had their choice of three top prospects -- DeCastro, Zeitler and Georgia's Cordy Glenn -- at No. 24. That just doesn't seem fair. DeCastro exclusively played right guard at Stanford, but the Steelers haven't ruled out moving him to the left side.

What the Steelers are saying ... General manager Kevin Colbert: "Really, we didn't think David would be there at 24 quite honestly. We valued him that high. We identified several players we would trade up to get, and he was one of them. With every pick, the odds increased. Where we picked, it was a nice group; we would have been happy with three or four players where we picked."

BEREA, Ohio -- The two biggest problems I have with the Cleveland Browns taking quarterback Brandon Weeden are his age (28) and where they drafted him. There wouldn't be as much of an uproar if the Browns had selected Weeden in the second round and not the first.

Perhaps that was the Browns' original plan. If the Tennessee Titans hadn't taken Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright at No. 20, Cleveland would have drafted him at No. 22 instead of Weeden, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Asked if the decision at No. 22 would have been tougher if Wright were still on the board, general manager Tom Heckert said, "We liked Kendall and there were a couple of guys that we liked, but a quarterback is a quarterback, which I think that outweighs everything, at least in our opinion.”

So, would the Browns have taken Weeden if Wright was available? “We didn’t have to make that decision," Heckert said.

But the Browns should've had a decision even with Wright gone. Look at the two players selected after Weeden. The Browns could've had Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff or Stanford guard David DeCastro. Both would have addressed needs on the right side of the Cleveland's offensive line.

So, instead of getting the second-best tackle or No. 1 guard in the draft, the Browns take the third-ranked quarterback on their board (Weeden was higher than Ryan Tannehill). That's not getting the best value at the No. 22 pick.

Had Todd Haley remained the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, the selection of Dontari Poe may not have worked.

But the Chiefs are now Romeo Crennel’s team, and that’s why taking Poe at No. 11 in the NFL draft on Thursday might be a shrewd move for a team that has missed by taking defensive lineman high in the draft in the past decade.

Poe is a classic example of the long NFL draft process. He wasn’t considered a top pick when the massive Memphis defensive tackle entered the NFL draft. However, after he stole headlines at the NFL combine in February, he became a projected top-five pick. That happens when a 6-foot-3, 345-pound man runs a 4.98 40-yard dash and bench presses 225 pounds 44 times. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Poe is the only player over 330 pounds to run a sub-five second time since 2006.

However, after Poe put himself in the spotlight, teams closely dissected him and saw a player with immense ability that didn’t always show on the field against marginal competition. It was alarming and it still is.

“I’m still waiting for Poe to unleash the fury,” ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said moments after the Chiefs made him the pick.

This is what ESPN analyst Todd McShay had about Poe last week:

“I see the workout numbers, and I found myself wanting and waiting and wishing and hoping is what I keep saying. Every single play I watched from Memphis just hoping that he would make a big play. He will disrupt and he'll be involved in some plays, but for a guy that you're talking about potential top 10, top 12 pick, I just didn't see the production, and I just didn't see a guy who understands and has a great feel for the game, and that's not to say he won't develop, and he very well may, and one day he may be a junior Haloti Ngata. But Haloti Ngata coming out was a much better football player than Dontari Poe is right now, and that scares me, and that's why I've dropped him to where he is as the third best defensive tackle, somewhere in kind of the middle range … I've got him at 19 overall in the class.”

In the days leading up to the draft, there was talk that Poe’s lack of consistent game film would override his off-the-charts ability, and he’d be picked in the 20-25 range. However, the Chiefs took another swipe at a defensive lineman early in the draft. Bypassing a safe pick such as Stanford guard David DeCastro, the Chiefs went boom or bust with Poe.

The decision to take Poe is understandable. The Chiefs, who had an outstanding free-agency period, do not have many holes. If Poe fills the nose tackle position as the team hopes he does, the Chiefs will be one of the most talented teams in the NFL and a real playoff threat. According to ESPN Stats and Information, last season Kansas City had one sack, two batted passes and three tackles for loss by its nose tackle -- and that was from the aging Kelly Gregg, a free agent.

The Chiefs hope to get better production out of Poe than they have from other defensive linemen they've taken in the first round of recent years. The team took Ryan Sims at No. 6 in the 2002 draft and he was a terrible bust. In 2008, they took defensive end Glenn Dorsey at No. 5 and in 2009 they took Tyson Jackson at No. 3. Both Dorsey and Jackson remain in Kansas City, but they have not been impact players.

Yet, they have improved in the past two years under Crennel, who became the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 2010 before taking over for Haley. I think Crennel is a key to the Poe pick.

Crennel is known as one of the best defensive line coaches in NFL history and he is known for getting questionable motors to start.

Poe may have a new best friend in Crennel. He is nurturer and he believes in his players. We saw the impact Crennel had on the entire Kansas City roster. The players loved the difference between the impatient and often caustic Haley and the calm, encouraging Crennel.

If think Crennel will motivate and teach Poe. Haley would have berated him and goaded him. I have a feeling Poe may respond more positively to Crennel’s approach. Crennel will teach him to become an NFL player and use his natural ability. Remember, this kid started high school as a drummer in the band. He is still raw.

Crennel has the patience and expertise to make Poe a good player and get the most out of this pick. If not, it will go down as another swing and miss on the defensive line in Kansas City.

There was some thought the San Francisco 49ers might take a character risk by selecting North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins with the 30th overall choice Thursday night.

The Jenkins they wound up selecting could not have been much different from Janoris.

Illinois' A.J. Jenkins is a receiver, not a cornerback. A.J. Jenkins was an all-academic selection in the Big Ten Conference, whereas Janoris Jenkins was arrested, suspended and kicked off the team at Florida before transferring to North Alabama.

Enough about that other Jenkins. A.J. is the only one who matters for the 49ers at this point. He joins a relatively crowded position and projects as a starter, but perhaps not immediately.

Scouts Inc. gave A.J. Jenkins high marks for intangibles, separation skills and ball skills while raising questions about his slight frame (6-foot, 190 pounds) and durability.

Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly had this to say: "Lean, fast, slippery 'X' receiver boasting playmaking perimeter speed combined with quickness to separate short-to-intermediate. Best football might be ahead of him if he sharpens his route running, grows up and becomes more consistent."

The 49ers had needs at guard and cornerback, plus receiver. Guards David DeCastro and Kevin Zeitler were not available when the 49ers selected. The 49ers could have taken Stanford tight end Coby Fleener, reuniting him with Jim Harbaugh, but they didn't have a need at tight end.

The Cincinnati Bengals addressed the guard position by taking Wisconsin's Kevin Zeitler with the 27th overall pick.

The Bengals passed on Stanford's David DeCastro when they traded out of the No. 21 spot. Cincinnati also chose Zeitler over Georgia's Cordy Glenn, who had been linked to the Bengals.

Here's a scouting report on Zeitler from Scouts Inc.:

Pros: Displays quick and compact hands to lock on to defenders. Drives legs once in position and flashes ability to drive defenders when stays low and generating leverage. Possesses above-average instincts and football I.Q. Plays under control and takes good angles in space or when climbing to the second level. Also displays ability to adjust on the move to cover up targets in space. Does not panic when getting knocked off balance initially and flashes ability to recover and get back into position.

Cons: Can get caught lunging at times which can make him vulnerable to quicker interior rushers. Can play too high on occasion and does not have an elite inline power base to overcome and get adequate movement when pads rise up. Flashes an edge and can deliver the big block when catches defenders off guard but needs to become more of a finisher at this point. Does not back down from challenges but would like to see more of mean streak.