Kansas City Chiefs rookie Derrick Nnadi has impressed the Chiefs coaching staff with his blue-collar work ethic since camp opened on Sunday. Nnadi was drafted 75th overall in the third round by the Chiefs in the 2018 Draft. He should see substantial playing time in the rotation and is positioning himself as a future starter. If observing Nnadi from afar one would think he was a first-round pick displaying his quickness, power, and agility.
A humble beginning taught some valuable lessons
Nnadi’s football journey began with his early roots as a Nigerian-American growing up in Virginia Beach. His father is a Nigerian immigrant who migrated to America in the 1960s. Nnadi expressed his desire to succeed and credits his father’s hard work and devotion to family as inspiration. According to Nnadi, his father took care of his family on a budget of $2,000 a one year.
Delivering the goods in the trenches
As a blue chip Ocean Lakes High school recruit, Nnadi received offers from many Division I schools such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Penn State to name a few. Nnadi impressed recruiters in the US Army All-American Bowl with his ability to quickly shed blocks to make big plays. He once bench pressed 525 lbs and squat 750 lbs in the FSU weight room.
Nnadi played his best game against third-ranked Clemson in 2017. His all-out assault on Clemson’s offensive line garnered him six big tackles. He clogged running lanes throughout the game causing Clemson to change their gameplan.
Nnadi will deliver the goods and become a long-term asset for the Kansas City Chiefs. He fit defensive coordinator Bob Sutton 3-4 schemes perfectly. His low bullish first burst into offense linemen causes opposing teams to double team Nnadi. He uses his god gifted leverage to control the line of scrimmage.
Competition Begins In Camp
When Chiefs veterans report to camp, Derrick Nnadi will not just be a face in the crowd. His humbleness yet toughness will earn the respect of all his teammates because of his blue-collar “bring your lunch to work” style. Chiefs veteran defensive end Allen Bailey has taken Nnadi under his wings to give him the excellent advice as a mentor.
The competition amongst Chiefs veterans will only make Nnadi more of a standout and play fearlessly outside of the box.
In the scheme of things Nnadi, and the Chiefs are a perfect match made in heaven. The Chiefs past weakness at the defensive tackle position sets the tone for a sturdy, blue-collar player to thrive at keeping opposing teams honest.