KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After adding a weapon to its vaunted offense in the first round, the Chiefs added to the defense in the second round Friday.
Kansas City drafted Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. with the 63rd overall pick.
Gay — 6 feet, 1 inch and 243 pounds — closes well on the line of scrimmage and plays with good instincts against the run.
But he really shines in coverage with his superior athleticism.
Gay is very good in zone coverage, showing those instincts again, and possesses the speed to run with skill players, while also having the size to match up with tight ends.
His 4.46-second 40-yard dash time was the second-fastest among all linebackers at the NFL Combine, trailing only Olathe native and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, who went No. 8 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.
Several teams, including the Green Bay Packers, exploited the Chiefs linebacking corps’ struggles in coverage last season, but Gay should help shore up that deficiency.
Further highlighting his explosiveness, he posted the second-best vertical (39 1/2 inches) and best broad jump (11 feet, 4 inches).
Gay was a rising star after recording 48 tackles, including 5 1/2 for a loss, with five sacks and two interceptions as a sophomore with the Bulldogs.
Before his junior season last fall, Gay was suspended for eight games by the NCAA for academic violations.
He wound up playing in only five games, finishing with 28 tackles, including 3 1/2 for a loss, with one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
Obviously, the Chiefs felt comfortable enough that his off-field indiscretions are behind him and gave defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo a versatile piece in the middle of the defense.
