Willie Gay Jr. is about to become the K.C. Chiefs best linebacker this season. He is also going to take the biggest leap, developmentally speaking, over anyone else on the team’s roster.
Gay is bursting with athleticism and is going to turn heads now that he finally has had an offseason to learn the playbook and understand Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. If you like linebackers who make a splash, Gay is set for a cannonball off the high dive.
Coming out of the draft, Gay was in the 97th percentile among all linebackers in the 40-yard dash, the 93rd percentile in the vertical leap, and the 99th percentile in the broad jump. His athleticism jumps off the tape, and the Chiefs knew he was more of a “project” than others when he was drafted in the second round in 2020.
Not having any normal sort of offseason really hurt Gay and never allowed him to have an easy transition into taking over the starter’s role. With experience under his belt, he will need less time to mentally process where he is supposed to be and what he is supposed to do. This frees him up to allow his natural ability and instincts to really shine through.
Willie Gay Jr. looks set to break out in 2021 for the Chiefs.
I was a loud member of the #FreeWillie movement last year, and I believe he is now going to be a Week 1 starter as the best linebacker on this Chiefs team. The fact that he’s as quick as he is given his size makes him a nightmare for opposing running backs trying to catch a screen pass, while his speed and vertical leap allows him to be able to cover tight ends as well as a concern in passing lanes. Gay also can lay the wood. When he goes to make a tackle, he goes all out.
Talent almost always rises to the top, but being somewhat more of a “project,” Gay had a lot of issues seeing the field last season. When he was on the field though, he was a noticeable difference maker. Hearing everything coming out of camp this year, all signs point to Gay being an impact linebacker. From interceptions to knockdowns, it is hard to not get excited about his training camp performances.
The part the excites me most is the fact he should be a member of the Chiefs for a long time alongside rookie linebacker Nick Bolton. Having a strong core is so impactful and seeing these two grow together only strengthens that bond. With Anthony Hitchens realistically gone after this season, the growth of these two youngsters will be paramount, and I believe both are up to that challenge. Some players have a sophomore slump while others take that huge leap, if his vertical and broad jump give us any indication, Willie Gay Jr. is about to soar.