ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Tyson Jackson is maligned and probably will always be as long as he is with the Kansas City Chiefs. It goes with the territory of being a No. 3 overall pick.
Folks expect spectacular dividends from players drafted that high, but Jackson will never be spectacular. But he has been productive and is a big reason why the team's defense is expected to be one of the better units in the league.
The Chiefs value Jackson as one of the best run-stopping 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL. Yes, No. 3 picks should get sacks, but that’s not Jackson’s game. He has two sacks in three NFL seasons. The Chiefs will continue to get the brunt of their pass-rush from star Tamba Hali and youngster Justin Houston.
It's Jackson's job to halt the run and he does it well. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson had 38 defensive stops (characterized as tackles for an offensive failure on the play) in 2011. That total led the NFL in run stop frequency.
Kansas City defensive end Glenn Dorsey, the No. 5 overall pick in 2008, added 32. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson and Dorsey's totals were the highest in the NFL by 3-4 ends.
Like Jackson, Dorsey has been criticized for a being of high-pick bust. But these statistics and the Chiefs' improvement on the defensive front in the past year show these former high picks are making their presence felt.