2. Willie Gay, Jr.
Gay Jr. fell to the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, in part, due to questions about his off-the-field behavior at Mississippi State. The Chiefs were clearly the recipient of his brief fall. He rewarded the franchise’s faith by playing in all 16 games as a rookie and logging 39 total tackles.
Kansas City’s defensive coaches are looking for him to take a meaningful step forward in his second professional season. He’s got the right combination of size and speed to be a real playmaker from his linebacker position. The Chiefs’ two-linebacker system puts a lot of pressure on him to cover a lot of ground, but he has the talent required to handle that sort of responsibility.
What the Chiefs really need from Gay in 2021 is more playmaking. This defense thrives on creating turnovers that give their offense the football in advantageous positions. Gay has the type of hitting ability required to force fumbles at an impressive clip.
Gay can also add to his value by improving his pass-rushing ability. Kansas City’s front four needs help from the rest of their defense if they are going to notch a healthy sack total. A handful of sacks from Gay could be huge for his team’s defensive efforts.