This pick and analysis was written by CSC member Satchmo26. Thank you very much for your participation!

With the third overall pick in the Canal Street Chronicles community mock draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select...

Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Considering the Chiefs have just hired a new head coach in Todd Haley and a new General Manager in Scott Pioli, it may be impossible to predict how these guys will approach the draft. Haley is in his first head coaching gig after coordinating the offense of the Kurt Warner led Cardinals, and Pioli is fresh off a nine year stint with Bill "Surly Smurf" Belichick in New England.

You do NOT want to mess with this. (Photo Source)

Start typing your post. Before the offseason trade that made Matt Cassell a Chief, the general consensus was that they would probably target a QB in the first round. That no longer seems likely. So, the likely pick would seem to come down to either a talented OT to protect Matt or a talented pass rusher that could immediately help the D apply some pressure on opposing quarterbacks, an area at which they woefully underacheived last year. I went with the latter and picked the Dick Butkus award winner Aaron Curry, who is widely touted as the top defensive player in the draft. Curry, along with current Chiefs Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali, and last year's first rounder Glenn Dorsey, should provide the spark for what could be a very formidable defense. In their division, strategy and logic would seem to dictate that they focus on the defense first to prepare for the high-powered offenses of the Chargers and Broncos (with or without Jay Cutler). Plus, a highly talented linebacker may be just what our good buddy Gary Gibbs needs to ressurect his career and good name after his fan-frustrating tenure with the Saints. Whoops, there goes my blood pressure again.    

NFLDraftScout.com says this about Aaron Curry:

Curry is viewed by some as the elite prospect of the 2009 draft. A hard-hitting, playmaking extraordinaire in the mold of Tennessee Titans star Keith Bullock, Curry leaves Wake Forest as a three-time all-conference selection, an All-American and the recipient of the 2008 Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. An explosive athlete with a penchant for the big play, Curry broke onto the national stage in 2007, posting 99 tackles, including 13.5 behind the line of scrimmage and three interception returns for touchdowns (he had four picks overall) during the season. Despite increased attention from offensive coordinators, Curry was even better in 2008, leading the team with 105 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. Capable of making plays at every level of the defense, Curry - not Rey Maualuga or James Laurinaitis - is the most versatile linebacker in this class and likely to be the highest drafted come April.     

Curry, who is scheduled to visit with the Chiefs on April 4, turned out very impressive performances at both the NFL Combine and the Wake Forest Pro Day. If he is still available at #3, I don't think the Chiefs will be able to pass him up. Curry is believed to possess enough talent and versatility to excel in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. The Chiefs are expected to switch to a 3-4 this offseason, so Curry's adaptabilty and high motor should be just what this franchise needs to help them become a contender once again.