NEW YORK -- Offensive tackle Eric Fisher's journey from Central Michigan to the top of the 2013 NFL Draft is complete. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Fisher with the No. 1 overall pick.
New Chiefs coach Andy Reid loved building his previous Philadelphia Eagles teams from the inside out, and he will do the same in Kansas City. Like longtime Eagles offensive tackles Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, Fisher stands 6-foot-7. Fisher is more athletic than both of them.
The No. 1 overall pick came down to Fisher or Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel. Ultimately, Fisher was seen as a player with a higher long-term ceiling because of his impressive athleticism. Fisher represents the key piece to the Chiefs' dramatic offensive spending spree this offseason. The Chiefs re-signed Dwayne Bowe to a huge contract, added Alex Smith at quarterback and brought in Anthony Fasano at tight end. Along with running back Jamaal Charles, this is an offense poised to compete right away.
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Fisher's rise to the top of the draft is a moment that few people saw coming even three months ago.
"I still can't believe it," Fisher told NFL Network on Thursday night.
Fisher arrived at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in January as a player not commonly believed to be a top-10 pick. His outstanding week there showed he could shut down the best of the best defensive linemen. His film did the rest of the work for him. The question now becomes if Fisher will play on the left side or the right side as a rookie.
The Chiefs have engaged in trade talks with the Miami Dolphins regarding the Chiefs' franchise player, offensive tackle Branden Albert, but a trade wasn't consummated before the draft. We'd expect something to happen before the weekend is over, but this is the NFL draft. It's par for the course to expect the unexpected.
Fisher's ascension to the No. 1 overall pick is proof of that.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
