Cubs News: Poles on Kiran Amegadjie, Left tackle competition |
CHICAGO - While Chicago came into the third round in need of a defensive end or tackle, general manager Ryan Poles opted to use their only day-two pick for the best player on their board in offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie with the No. 75 overall pick in the draft.
“We were going back and forth just in terms of best available or position of need with a D-line. We were comfortable being patient, letting it play out,” Poles said. “D-lineman went right before, and we ended up taking Kiram, which we were excited about. He was (the) highest guy on the board. So, it worked out really well.” Amegadjie missed most of last season due to a quad injury that resulted in season-ending surgery. However, before that, he played a total of 20 games with Yale. He was a two-time First-team All-Ivy selection, including when he only played four games, and Honorable Mention All-Ivy in his first season with Yale back in 2021. He only played three seasons in college as his rookie season in 2020 was suspended due to COVID-19. “His pass pro’s really good. Love his length, hand usage, a big man that we believe is going to continue to get bigger and more explosive,” Poles said. “So, it should really increase the competition on our offensive line and make everyone better.” Part of what makes Amegadjie a valuable prospect is his versatility. While he is most comfortable as a tackle, He also has experience at right guard, during which season he earned his Honorable Mention All-Ivy. “We don’t really want to put a ceiling on him. I see the progressive as potentially being himself in a swing tackle setup. He can play guard. He played guard early in his career too. So, swing tackle inside, outside, which is always helpful,” Poles said. “We’ve struggled with flexibility in the past. So, he has that ability, and then we’ll see where he ascends to. If that means competing to start this year or next year, that’s great. But, if he ends up being just another really good offensive lineman, you can’t have enough.”
Chicago improved their offensive line during the offseason with various free-agent pickups. However, the weakest area on the line appeared to be quarterback Caleb Williams’ blindside at the left tackle position. Braxton Jones played all 11 games of his rookie season at that position in 2022 as well as 11 games there in 2023. Nonetheless, Amegadjie could become Jones’ replacement on the left side. At the very least, this pick should create some left tackle competition during the offseason.
Poles acknowledges that Amegadjie could become the starter at left tackle, but says that most likely will not happen in his rookie season.
“Potentially, probably not year one,” Poles said. “But, again, I don’t want to put a ceiling on Kiram either. I think we’ll open that up and see how it goes.”
Poles’ breakdown seems to align with Amegadjie’s draft profile. Next Gen Stats graded him as someone who will eventually become a starter while he was ninth out of all offensive tackle prospects in production and fifteenth in athleticism. He possesses the raw talent and abilities to become a valuable player and pose a legitimate threat to Jones during the offseason for the starting position.
