Despite being in win-now mode, the Kansas City Chiefs currently have a lot of young pieces to work with, and the most popular name mentioned in that category may be linebacker Willie Gay Jr. He has displayed a lot of flashes early on but hasn’t come close to reaching his potential yet.
Going back to the 2017 NFL draft, the Chiefs made a franchise-changing and league-altering move by trading up for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Many teams deemed Mahomes a risk due to his unorthodox footwork, being a loose cannon, and not being a NFL-style ready quarterback. But that was one of the best things that they have done in years. However, it wasn’t until they reached the playoffs that the Chiefs realized they had bigger problems.
They were in a horrendous situation defensively after losing Tamba Hali, Dontari Poe, and Derrick Johnson. I recall watching all 16 games in 2018 and remember watching teams rush all over the defense like no one was trying to stop them. It was an eye-opening moment that inevitably caused change. They needed to make a big move in the secondary, linebacker group, and improve their run-stopping that off-season or they were never going to become a bona fide Super Bowl contender. They were able to fix up their defensive front and their secondary, but a lingering issue has been their linebacker corps. It won’t stay that way for long with Gay in the mix.
Everyone knew about the need at linebacker going into the draft, but being able to proclaim that they had drafted Willie Gay, a combine standout, is incredible. Kansas City has repeatedly disappointed in the draft, but taking Gay may end up being one of the best selections they have ever made.
It was hard for the Chiefs to recover after losing Derrick Johnson. Fans got used to seeing a Pro-Bowl linebacker there for years, and it really puts things into perspective when all of a sudden he’s gone. They tried to fill his void by signing Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson, drafting Dorian O’Daniel, and pursuing Darron Lee, but none of them were able to really take on the mantle — until now.
Willie Gay Jr. was ranked as my fifth overall linebacker in the 2020 NFL draft with a grade of 84.1. I know that may seem a little low for a guy who I’m hyping up as the next great linebacker, but that is an early second-round grade. Looking at the tape, you can understand the talent and potential that he has. Based upon his limited opportunities on the field, this is only the beginning of what’s to come.
He is projected to be a coverage linebacker in a standard 4-3 scheme, but he shouldn’t be limited to just that. His versatility at the linebacker position is one of the reasons he was a highly-touted prospect in the NFL Draft. Gay is able to play all over the field due to his high motor, great positional awareness in coverage, and ability to be a top-tier run-stopper. He is a game-changing player on the field, and the film shows it.
The moment we realized his potential? Gay’s first real game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. In that game, Gay was able to finish with six total tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. He was moving sideline-to-sideline to make the tackles, showed the ability to bust runs up the middle, and played a strong game in coverage. Even though Kansas City lost, Gay showed fans that night the player that he could be.
There is more to Gay than his high motor. It’s pure speed. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, abnormally good speed for a linebacker. Not only that, but he was able to bench 21 reps, had a vertical jump of 39.5”, 136” broad jump, 4.3 shuttle, and a 7.08 3-cone drill. He’s a freak athlete.
A “sophomore surge” usually refers to a quarterback’s development. On the contrary, it actually refers to any position. People have typecasted it as a term for quarterbacks which is inconsiderate and is going to come back to bite them in the butt. There are a lot of players who should be considered prime candidates to make the jump and take the title, but there are few people that can top the inevitable jump Willie Gay will make this season.
