Kansas City Chiefs: Setting 2018 rookie expectations
By Kyle Hull
Derrick Nnadi, Nose Tackle, Florida State
Remember last season how under-established the defensive front was for the Kansas City Chiefs? There was absolutely no pass rush, and no ability to stop the run.
Nnadi is able to progressively stop the run, but he when it comes to pass rush, there is no doubt that this is where his game needs the most work.
Veach looked to put this issue to an end, by signing nose tackle Xavier Williams to help solve the issue. However, he was not done yet. After trading to pick number 75, Veach selected nose tackle Derrick Nnadi out of Florida State.
Nnadi is 6’1”, 317 pounds, or in other words – a walking bowling ball. While in college, Nnadi was known for his run stopping ability. There is no doubt that he is a bit undersized when it comes to height, but Nnadi uses that as an advantage. He is able to barrel his way through the offensive line and stop the ball carrier.
Nnadi is able to progressively stop the run, but he when it comes to pass rush, there is no doubt that this is where his game needs the most work. Nnadi only had 12 sacks in his career with the Seminoles, which is not the best number. No, that is not a garbage statistic, but it shows there is room for improvement.
Setting Nnadi’s expectations was fairly easy. With the lack of depth at the nose tackle position, Nnadi’s short-term expectations to me are perfect. He could start right away and slowly find his feel for the game. The staff will need to coach him up when it comes to pass rush, but surely, that isn’t too much of a problem.
Long-term, I have Nnadi as a polished and active nose tackle with consistent contributions. It was evident in college that he was good at his position, though, he wasn’t great. With the right coaching, Nnadi could turn those slightly above average techniques into something spectacular.