The Kansas City Chiefs went and got their replacement for some of their 2020 free agent departures like Reggie Ragland and Darron Lee. They drafted Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. with pick No. 63 in the NFL draft. Gay was one of the top linebackers in this draft class. He was even compared to former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson in the KC Draft Guide, by our friends at Arrowhead Pride.
Here are three things that you should know about the newest linebacker in Kansas City:
Gay is one of the most athletic players in the draft
Gay is one of more athletic linebackers in the draft running 4.46 40-yard dash, the second-fastest in this season’s linebacker class. He also had 21 reps on the bench press, a 39.5 inch vertical and has the fourth-best broad jump in the combine with an 11-foot four-inch jump. This type of athleticism makes puts him in a rare category of linebacker that the Chiefs currently don’t have on the roster.
Gay has some past off-field issues
The Kansas City Chiefs have not been afraid to bring in players with off the field issues the last couple of seasons which could have been one of the reasons why he fell. He missed eight games of his 2019 season due to a cheating scandal. Gay told reporters on Friday that he has learned from the experience and is better for it. He is ready to be a pro at the next level.
Gay also had an issue with a teammate, quarterback Garret Shrader due to an altercation at the end of practice. It was reported by Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report that Gay would punch Shrader, breaking his jaw. Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead did not officially issue any type of punishment for Gay and was not suspended for their bowl game.
Gay can make an immediate impact with the Chiefs passing defense
Gay has an opportunity to make an impact early with the Chiefs by providing strong coverage skills to a position group that struggled in that area in 2019. He has three career interceptions and four pass deflections in only 27 career games with the Bulldogs. His success in coverage along with his athleticism will help him to cover some of the premier tight ends and running backs in the league.
