Chris Jones tells Tanoh Kpassagnon to take things “one day at a time”
By Matt Conner
Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones has been giving Tanoh Kpassagnon advice on how to adjust to the pros.
The Chiefs have invested second round picks on defensive linemen two years in a row. If the second turns out to be anything like the first, the Chiefs are going to have an unstoppable defensive front. Fortunately the two are already helping each other as Chris Jones is giving Tanoh Kpassagnon advice on how to adjust to the pro level.
The Chiefs took Kpassagnon late in the second round as a raw prospect from Villanova. Kpassagnon looks the part for sure, but he’s got plenty of adjustments to make in terms of technique, let alone the learning curve that comes making the jump from a small school like Nova to the NFL. After OTAs on Wednesday, Kpassagnon says that last year’s rookie, Jones, is helping him keep things in perspective.
"“Just to take it one day at a time. That’s what Chris Jones was telling me. The whole D- line has been real helpful. They just said to take it one day at a time, don’t try to look at the whole thing all at once because it might overwhelm you. That’s what I’ve been doing.”"
Kpassagnon has earned some great projections from various persons, including a Sean Jones comparison from general manager John Dorsey. Others have said Jason Pierre-Paul. Still it remains to be seen whether the Chiefs can help realize his potential. If it helps, however, the coaching staff worked wonders with Jones’ high ceiling as well, with a rookie year that showed Jones is likely destined for multiple Pro Bowls. Pro Football Focus had this to say about Jones after the regular season was over.
"For the season, his 9.4 pass-rushing productivity mark was fifth-best among starters on the interior. Jones is also the poster boy for why stats don’t tell the whole story—he only had two sacks and 22 tackles all season long, but his down-to-down disruption is already superb."
Last season, Kpassagnon had 21.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks for the Wildcats.