Smith: Despite bad years, Chiefs and Mizzou have reasons for hope

Football season is over for Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Tigers fans, but people talking about their favorite teams will continue.

Chiefs fans are looking forward to the NFL Draft, while Tigers fans begin to size up how they’ll stack up in the Big 12 next season.

The Chiefs have the No. 5 pick in the draft. They will likely go after playmakers on defense and try to bolster their offensive line.

Potential first-round picks include Eric Berry, a safety from Tennessee; Bruce Campbell, an offensive tackle from Maryland; Gerald McCoy, a defensive tackle from Oklahoma; Derrick Morgan, a defensive end from Georgia Tech, Russell Okung, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma State, and Trent Williams, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma.

Drafting Ndamukong Suh, a defensive tackle from Nebraska, would be a good fit for the Chiefs. However, they would have to trade up to get him.

What the Chiefs do with their other picks should determine how good next year’s team can be.

Stocking up on offensive linemen, and picking up another running back and wide receiver would be good ideas for the later rounds.

The Tigers bring back several key players on both sides of the ball in their quest to return to the top of the Big 12 North.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, running back Derrick Washington, center Tim Barnes and linemen Elvis Fisher and Dan Hoch are returning starters on offense.

Wide receivers Jerrell Jackson and Wes Kemp are back. They were the team’s third- and fifth-leading receivers as far as number of catches last season.

Mizzou brings back three of its top four tacklers from last season.

Linebacker Andrew Gachkar was second, linebacker Will Ebner was third and safety Jasper Simmons was fourth.

Defensive backs Aldon Smith, who led the team in tackles for a loss, Kevin Rutland and Carl Gettis are expected to return as is lineman Dominique Hamilton.

The Tigers should be solid on special teams with kicker Grant Ressel, kick returner Simmons and punt returner Gettis coming back.

Rivals.com says that the Tigers have the 15th-best recruiting class for the 2010 season.

The Tigers have five four-star athletes including Blaine Gabbert’s brother, Tyler, who have committed for next season.

While most of these newcomers won’t see the field in their freshman years, they will give fans a glimpse of the program’s future.

How well the Tigers fill the gaps at wide receiver and in the spot where linebacker Sean Weatherspoon played will pave the way to next season’s success.