Creed Humphrey's Intelligence Would Greatly Benefit Chiefs' Offensive Line
Creed Humphrey - IOL, Oklahoma
By the numbers:
6'5", 320 pounds.
Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, no sacks allowed in 401 pass protection reps in 2020.
Positives:
Oklahoma's Creed Humphrey is a player who does pretty much everything well. At the point of attack from the center position, his wrestling background is evident in his play. He maintains good leverage and explodes from his low base with strength and punch that is oftentimes too much for his assignment to handle. He's fundamentally sound, displaying good footwork, hand placement and balance on tape.
Despite athleticism that is far from elite, Humphrey is able to get out and make plays at the second level. He routinely seeks out new assignments after winning his initial one. He is a great leader with a high football IQ, able to make calls at the line of scrimmage and identify what the defense is showing him.
Negatives:
It's hard to find something majorly wrong with Humphrey's game. He doesn't come with any red flags, although some will make a big deal about his average athleticism. This raises questions about his range at the NFL level, but Humphrey has relatively quick feet for a man his size. He may be a bit less effective in a zone scheme, but he has the skills and IQ to make this close to a non-issue.
How Humphrey fits with the Chiefs:
As Austin Reiter and Daniel Kilgore are set to enter free agency, the center position is a major need for the Chiefs. Unless they re-sign one of the aforementioned linemen or make a bargain-bin transaction, drafting a player at that position may be the move. Humphrey's intangibles and tape are both fantastic and if he were a better athlete, he'd be garnering more buzz than just about any interior offensive lineman in this draft class. If the Chiefs added him into the fold, they'd get a lot better up front.
Final Thoughts:
Humphrey is a technician, capable of making adjustments at the line of scrimmage and using his strong base and sound technique to win consistently. His range isn't great and that may hold him back from being elite at the next level, but so much of his game translates well to the NFL. He should be a starter in this league for years to come and for that reason, as well as many others, he receives a first-round grade. The Chiefs would be wise to do their due diligence in considering taking Humphrey.
Read More: Arrowhead Report's 100 Players in 100 Days: A Kansas City Chiefs Draft Guide.
