Kansas City Chiefs: Rookie expectations for Juan Thornhill

By Leigh Oleszczak | May 14, 2019

Safety Juan Thornhill #21 of the Virginia Cavaliers (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images) /

The Kansas City Chiefs got themselves a bargain when defensive back Juan Thornhill was still on the board at pick 63. What should Chiefs fans expect from the Virginia product in 2019?

It’s no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs need help in their secondary. Anyone who watched the team extensively in 2018 could see that was one of their weakest areas.

So, it made Chiefs fans feel a little better when they were able to select Juan Thornhill with the 63rd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The fact that Thornhill was a potential first rounder and fell to the end of the second round was a huge get for the Chiefs and they’ll hope to slot him in as a starter come the regular season.

What should Chiefs fans expect out of Thornhill? Well, he should see plenty of playing time. The former Cavalier has the ability to play both safety and cornerback, giving Steve Spagnuolo plenty of ways to utilize him in his defense.

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As of now, the Chiefs only true starting option at safety is newcomer Tyrann Mathieu and the starters at cornerback will be Kendall Fuller and Bashaud Breeland. Thornhill would pair wonderfully with the Honey Badger, but using him as a corner in certain situations could make a ton of sense as well.

The Chiefs have a lot of question marks at the other safety spot. Eric Berry is gone, Eric Murray is gone, but there’s still Daniel Sorensen, Armani Watts, and Jordan Lucas to work with. The depth at corner is bleak as well, which could be why Thornhill sees time at both positions throughout the course of his rookie year.

The guy is a good tackler (98 tackles in 2018!), which is rare for defensive backs in the league these days, and that could make him an instant starter. Whether he’s a safety or a corner on day one, the Chiefs found themselves a versatile player who will be able to contribute no matter where he is on the field.

Something else to look for with Thornhill is his ability to force turnovers. He had six interceptions as a senior in 2018 and had 13 total during his time at Virginia. The Chiefs will need someone who can intercept the ball and get the offense on the field as much as possible and that could be where Thornhill really shines.

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At the end of the day, expectations for Juan Thornhill’s rookie year is that we see his versatility at both positions and hopefully he’ll be able to intercept some balls here and there. He was a huge steal at pick 63 and the Chiefs were fortunate to get him. Now, how will they utilize him?

What expectations do you have for Thornhill in 2019?

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