During the past two seasons, Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has successfully built a roster loaded with players of high character, strong work ethic and leadership on and off the field. The presence of those players is why Pioli was willing to make some high-risk and potentially high-reward selections in this year's NFL Draft.

Offense
Head coach Todd Haley has to be thrilled with the selection of first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin. Baldwin will not just take pressure off of Dwayne Bowe, but the former Pitt Panther has the potential to unseat Bowe as the team's top receiving threat.

Labeled as a malcontent who had run-ins with his coaches at Pitt, Baldwin is planning on attending the same off-season camp held by former Panther Larry Fitzgerald, the same camp Bowe attended last year. If the camp can yield results for Baldwin anywhere close to the ones that turned Bowe's career around last year, Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel could have another career year and lead his team on another run deep into the playoffs this season.

Perhaps the best pick of the entire draft weekend for the Chiefs was the second-round selection of Florida State center Rodney Hudson (pictured). While he has the versatility to play anywhere on the interior line, his athleticism and leadership qualities will in all likelihood make him the heir apparent to aging veteran Casey Wiegmann at center.

For the first time since the 2006 selection of Brodie Croyle in the third round, the Chiefs used a fifth-round pick on Iowa's Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi was 26-9 in three seasons as the starter for the Hawkeyes, and set the school's single-season record for passing efficiency (157.63) last season. His presence could very well spell the end of the Croyle era in Kansas City.

Pioli's final pick in the draft, Yale fullback Shane Bannon, ran the ball just twice in college but did catch 16 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns during his career. His chances of making the team will ride on his ability to play special teams as well as proving he can clear the way for Chiefs halfbacks on short yardage plays, something that last year’s fullbacks weren’t particularly adept at.

Defense
With obvious needs at OLB and NT, the Chiefs addressed both positions by selecting Georgia LB Justin Houston in the third round and Ole Miss NT Jerrell Powe in the sixth round.

Houston was a menace as the Bulldogs' primary pass-rusher in Georgia's new 3-4 defense in 2010. He had 10 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss. If not for a failed drug test at the combine, and a previous drug suspension back in 2009, he could have heard his name called in the first round. If he can stay on the straight and narrow, Houston could step in as a starter opposite Tamba Hali, in the OLB spot vacated by unsigned free agent Mike Vrabel, potentially giving the Chiefs the best pass-rushing unit they've had since Marty Schottenheimer was the coach.

Former Ole Miss Rebel Powe provides the Chiefs something they haven’t had since implementing the 3-4 defense, a massive presence in the middle of their defensive line. At 335 pounds, Powe can be the anchor that the Chiefs defense has so desperately needed against the run, allowing others around him to make plays. If not for the depth in this year's draft, the Rebels' 2010 defensive team captain could have been selected anywhere in the first three rounds. As it stands, the Chiefs are hoping he is a steal as a sixth-rounder.

The Chiefs' remaining picks on the defensive side of the ball will provide positional depth and could blossom into more as the season goes on. Miami defensive end Allen Bailey is a beast in the weight room with a fantastic work ethic, so much so that if former first-round pick Tyson Jackson doesn't step up his game, he could find himself losing snaps to the Hog Hammock, Ga., native.

Colorado cornerback Jalil Brown has great size for a corner (6-0 and 204 pounds) and like so many Pioli draft picks before him, Brown was a team captain his senior season and has exceptionally strong character and work ethic. He will likely give Javier Arenas a run for his money as the Chiefs nickel corner.

Finally, the Chiefs grabbed Oregon State OLB Gabe Miller, who began his career with the Beavers as a tight end, but earned All Pac-10 honorable mention honors at defensive end in his senior season. Miller could see spot play at linebacker but his future likely rides on his ability to play special teams.

Overall
This year's draft addressed several positions of need for the Chiefs, and while a few picks do present some level of risk, Pioli is betting that his coaching staff and the high character leaders on the roster will help this group reap the rewards that their talent warrants.

Grade: B+

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-- JAMES ADKINS
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Some quick thoughts on the newest Chiefs ...

No. 26 Jonathan Baldwin, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh
I thought this was a great pick for moving down. I know some fans wanted an offensive tackle but Baldwin fits a need for the Chiefs. You can expect teams to put eight men in the box to stop Jamaal Charles. With one-on-one coverage on the outside, the Chiefs wanted to add another weapon to compliment Dwayne Bowe. Let's not forget the Chris Chambers only had 22 catches last season as the Chiefs No. 2 receiver.

No. 55 Rodney Hudson, Center, Florida State
The interior of the Chiefs offensive line is old and it's time for a change. Last season you saw the Chiefs take Jon Asamoah to fill their offensive guard spot of the future. Hudson should fill their center spot of the present. If Branden Albert finally hits his potential, then the Chiefs could have a dominating offensive line for years to come.

No. 70 Justin Houston, Linebacker, Georgia
The Chiefs took Houston in the third round but he easily could have gone in the first round. If it wasn’t for a failed drug test at the combine, the Chiefs might have considered him with the No. 26 pick. The truth is the Chiefs needed another pass rusher outside of Tamba Hali. I believe Houston is a steal in the third round even with his stretchy past.

No. 86 Allen Bailey, Defensive End, Miami (Fla.)
Bailey could be a sleeper pick for the Chiefs. His athleticism and versatility could be beneficial to the Chiefs 3-4 defense. Some fans might have been in favor of a offensive tackle here, but I trust that he will be another weapon for Romeo Crennel's defense.

No. 118 Jalil Brown, Cornerback, Colorado
The league's wide receivers are getting bigger and faster every year so it’s smart to add more depth at the position. It's also nice that Brown is a big physical corner that has played against quality competition in college. Remember Dez Bryant, last season's first-round pick of the Cowboys out of Oklahoma State?

No. 135 Ricky Stanzi, Quarterback, Iowa
Brodie Croyles' time is up in Kansas City and the team needs some to develop. Enter Ricky Stanzi, a former college teammate of Chiefs tight end Tony Moeaki. I think this is a wise decision for the Chiefs front office. He is a pro-style quarterback that has faced quality competition.

No. 140 Gabe Miller, Outside Linebacker, Oregon State
He should will provide depth at the position and should make an impact on special teams.

No. 199 Jerrell Powe, Defensive Tackle, Ole Miss
This is a value pick. He was teammate of Dexter McCluster and Kendrick Lewis at Ole Miss. Some scouts had him Powe graded out as high as the second-round pick but most probably had him in the third or fourth. Luckily for the Chiefs he slipped all the way down to the sixth. A lot of defensive linemen went early so maybe this is how he became available for the Chiefs.

No. 223 Shane Bannon, Running Back, Yale
The Chiefs worked him out for a reason. He fills a need and can blow up some people.

Final Thoughts: I thought the Chiefs really went after needs and talent. Some may question why they didn’t address the offensive tackle position. This could be because they like Barry Richardson or they plan to address this position when/if free agent begins. The Chiefs also took some talented players with checkered pasts. I don't believe it's a big deal for the team. They built a strong foundation last season by drafting team captains and quality character players. So after a bad 2009 draft and a great 2010 draft, Scott Pioli looks to have continued in a positive direction.

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-- ANTHONY CARELLA
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We all know the factors that NFL teams use to assess player talent -- speed, agility, height, weight, strength, character, intellect, etc, etc. But as we saw Thursday night when the Baltimore Ravens failed to make their pick in time and got leapfrogged in the order by the Chiefs, executing this simple act is critical.

So here is how the process actually works.

As soon as your team is on the clock, the individuals working the table in the front rows of Radio City Music Hall get a call from the "war room," which is usually at the training facility. The selection is written down on a pick card including the player's name, position and college:

The card is usually completed in speedy fashion but is not released immediately. Instead, the card is held while the clock counts down. Stated differently, the winding down of the clock generally has nothing to do with the team being indecisive.

Assuming the team isn't 100 percent committed to its pick (a la Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers), the gurus in the war room, then, use the remaining clock time to entertain offers from other teams. They will wait most of their allotted time. The team on the clock might be made an offer it can't refuse. Indeed, this year such an offer was made. While Cleveland was on the clock with the sixth pick overall pick, Atlanta traded up with the Browns giving away a wealth of picks (27th overall, 59th pick/second round, plus first- and fourth-rounders in 2012). If a deal isn't made during the team's allotted time, it then, of course, "makes its pick."

So, again, that brings us back to how does one actually "make a pick." Once a team is on the clock, a runner from the NFL stands behind the team's table. When the team turns around and physically hands its completed pick card to the runner, the team has made its pick (even if there is only one second on the clock).

The delay in announcing it has nothing to do with the actual making of the pick. Once the card is handed in, the pick is officially made and, at this point, cannot be changed.

But what happens after a representative at the team's table hands in the selection card? I was fortunate enough to track down Eric FInklestein, Director of NFL Events, who was able to give me a few minutes in his busy schedule to explain the process.

When a representative of the Chiefs, for instance, hands its completed selection card to an NFL runner standing behind him, the runner instantly raises his or her hand. An NFL official known as the "clock operator" and sitting at the head desk (located at the foot of the stage at Radio City Music Hall) takes that team off the clock.

The NFL uses three runners. Two to stand behind the table of the team on the clock and one behind the team on deck. Once the pick is made, one runner brings the card to the clock operator and the second runner joins his colleague on the team that is now on the clock. That runner informs the team of what pick was made (even before it is announced) so it knows which player is no longer available.

Next to the clock operator is an official who makes sure the team's pick is properly announced. In the middle of the head desk is an NFL official who advises the NFL Network and ESPN of the name of the pick. The stations need this information in advance so they can get the appropriate highlight tape cued up. The final two officials at the head table and verify the pick and record trades. They also check the selection card for any mistake or ambiguity. If there is a mistake (it is almost a minor one), these officials will work with the team to get it corrected.

The officials at the head desk quietly go about their business. They get very little attention and no TV time, but these five officials are the heart and soul of the draft.

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-- MATTHEW WEISS
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