Kansas City Chiefs: Predictions for 2019 draft class

JUAN THORNHILL, S (R2:P63)

Juan Thornhill was the second pick for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2019 NFL Draft. A player that was selected at a much-needed position for the Chiefs and allowed fans to exhale knowing help is on the way. Thornhill will look like a draft steal falling to the Chiefs late in the second round after his rookie season.

Thornhill is a player who will be around the ball every play and won’t be scared to go for the big play. Coming out of the University of Virginia, the former Cavalier is listed at 6’0”, 205 pounds and will be called upon early in the season to make plays for this new Chiefs defense. With guys like Daniel Sorenson, Armani Watts, and Jordan Lucas standing in front of him, having a strong camp and preseason will move him to the top spot.

During his college career, Thornhill roamed the secondary and made plays for his team, which made him stand out in the film room. Playing in over 35 games for Virginia, Thornhill’s numbers read 208 Total Tackles (141 Solo, 67 Ast), 12 Tackles for Loss, 1.5 Sacks, 13 Int, 26 Pass Def, and 1 Forced Fumble.

It’s clear to see that Thornhill gets all over the field with his play and knows how to find the football. Expecting him to contribute to the team come week one of the season and work his way into more snaps will push his numbers up over time. His numbers should look like this:

• Tackles:96
  • Solo: 68
  • Assisted: 28
• Tackle for Loss: 6
• Sack: 1
• Int: 4
• Pass Def: 11
• Forced Fum: 1

Thornhill will have a breakout season and will be a ball waking safety playing next to the Honey Badger. The Chiefs have found them a special player and will become a player they let patrol the Chiefs secondary.