What would a breakout season for Chiefs LB Willie Gay Jr. look like in 2021?

#Chiefs LB Willie Gay Jr. could be poised for a breakout season, but what exactly will that look like?

Kansas City Chiefs fans have long sought improvements at the linebacker position even before Derrick Johnson left the franchise in 2018.

For whatever reason, finding consistency at the position has been a struggle for Kansas City over recent years. When the team added LB Willie Gay Jr. in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, there was a lot of optimism that the tides had shifted for the team. He had a standout offseason despite minimal on-field opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rookie ultimately wouldn’t beat out Damien Wilson, the incumbent starter at the SAM linebacker spot in base and the BUCK linebacker spot in sub-packages. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the coaching staff would give the veteran the benefit of the doubt after the team’s first Super Bowl win in 50 seasons. But this upcoming season, it’s a whole different story for Gay.

All signs point to the second-year linebacker getting an opportunity to start alongside Anthony Hitchens in base and sub-packages. Despite late-season injuries, Gay finished his rookie season strong, contributing on defense and special teams. He recorded 39 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, three passes defended and one forced fumble on the year.

What would a breakout season actually look like for the Chiefs’ young linebacker? First, he’ll need more opportunity in the way of snaps. Despite appearing in all 16 regular-season games in 2020, starting in eight of them, Gay only played 25% of the Chiefs’ total defensive snaps on the year. Compare that against Wilson, who played nearly 50% of the defensive snaps for Kansas City in 2020 and nearly 65% during the Super Bowl-winning 2019 season.

Beyond the snaps, obviously, the production needs to match for Gay’s year to be considered a breakout. Would matching Wilson’s best season in Kansas City qualify as a breakout? Probably not. Would a 100-tackle season get the job done? It’d be a start considering only 42 players in the NFL had 100 or more combined tackles last season. A good baseline might be what Chargers rookie Kenneth Murray was able to accomplish in 2020.

Last season, Murray posted 107 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and three passes defended. He did so while starting all 16 games for Los Angeles. If Gay can match or exceed those numbers in his second year, he’ll be looking good.

Gay also needs to pass the eye test if he’s to notch what is considered a breakout season. One of the most glaring deficiencies in Kansas City has been a lack of speed and coverage ability at the linebacker position. He needs to play fast, make big hits and cover ground in the passing game if he’s to pass the eye test.

We know that Gay’s goal for this offseason is to improve little by little each and every day. Unlike his rookie season, he’s mastered the playbook and knows his assignments. Now he can really focus on improving his technique, which will go a long way toward helping his breakout in 2021.

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Chiefs CB Charvarius Ward lands on Touchdown Wire’s All-Breakout team

Ward is due to breakout during the 2020 season according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.

Kansas City Chiefs CB Charvarius Ward had a miniature breakout season in 2019, his first season as a starter. He’ll have more attention than ever before as a starter in 2020, with counterpart Bashaud Breeland suspended for the first four games to start the season. Ward will be asked to step up and shut down the best receivers on every team.

Our friend Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire believes that Ward is capable of accomplishing that. In a recent article naming defensive breakout candidates for the 2020 season, Farrar identified Ward as someone on the Chiefs’ defense due for a breakout. Here’s what he had to say about Ward:

“In late August of 2018, the Cowboys traded Ward, an undrafted rookie out of Middle Tennessee State, for offensive lineman Parker Ehinger. Ehinger never played a snap for Dallas before moving on to Baltimore in 2019, where he played 54 snaps in 2019. Meanwhile, Ward found a rotational role in Bob Sutton’s underwhelming Chiefs defense in 2018 before finding religion under Steve Spagnuolo in 2019. Last season, Ward allowed just 48 catches on 100 targets for 796 yards, 249 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 73.6. A long, angular, feisty defender, Ward had a couple of rocky games last season, but was on point for the most part, and he’s a developing cornerback with “island” potential.”

One thing that Farrar fails to mention in his analysis, Ward can finally see and not in a metaphorical sense either. Ward had offseason LASIK surgery following Super Bowl LIV. He previously experienced both far-sightedness and near-sightedness. He had headaches and occasionally went cross-eyed. To say it was problematic and impacted his game might be an understatement, but he refused to use that as an excuse. But now his vision is as close to perfect as it has ever been.

“I finally can see,” Ward told Kansas City Star reporter Sam Mellinger in July. “First time being able to really see good.”

Now that Ward has the eyesight to complement his natural abilities his reaction time might improve. He might be able to turn a few of those 10 passes defended from the 2019 season into interceptions. His goal as he told Mellinger is to “intercept everything.”

He has the ability and opportunity to turn 2020 into his best season yet, he just has to go out there and get it done.

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Transfer linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. a breakout candidate in 2020

The Athletic ranked the top-10 breakout candidates for the 2020 football season and OLB transfer from UGA Brenton Cox Jr. was listed @ No. 3

In a list from The Athletic ranking the top-10 breakout candidates for the 2020 football season, Florida outside linebacker and Georgia transfer Brenton Cox Jr. was listed as the No. 3 player.

Cox Jr., a former five-star recruit, appeared in 13 games for UGA in 2018 before transferring to UF halfway through the 2019 season. He’s yet to make an appearance in the orange and blue, but he’s expected to contribute in 2020.

The Athletic article, which ranked former blue-chips who have yet to make a significant impact at the college level, said that Cox Jr. should stand out immediately on Florida’s defense.

Here’s the full segment about him.

Recruiting ranking: No. 23 overall, Class of 2018

Here’s another member of Georgia’s No. 1 ranked 2018 recruiting class who’s finally poised for a breakthrough. Cox left the program last August following a spring marijuana arrest and multiple clashes with the Bulldogs’ coaching staff in his first year in the program. The five-star had flashed his potential by the end of his freshman season there, starting in the Sugar Bowl loss to Texas and recording six stops. But his stint there lasted just 13 games. Cox put his name in the transfer portal at the start of preseason camp. One week later, he joined their rival.

Cox was not granted a waiver for immediate eligibility last fall. Florida coach Dan Mullen says he’d still like some transparency on why that was denied. He’s proud of how Cox handled his redshirt season on the scout team.

“He did nothing but work,” Mullen told reporters.

The Gators’ staff has high hopes for Cox and has been impressed by the 6-foot-4, 247-pound pass rusher’s versatility. He could fit right in as Jonathan Greenard’s replacement at the Buck position and can also line up in a few other spots. Florida has depth and talent up front, but Cox offers serious athleticism and upside. He should stand out right away. Between Cox, running back Lorenzo Lingard and receiver Justin Shorter, the Gators have added three transfers to the roster who were once top-100 prospects. We’ll see if a change in scenery is just what they needed to bounce back.

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Locked on Longhorns: Bijan Robinson and Big 12 Scheduling

The Locked on Longhorns podcast features a discussion about the upcoming Big 12 scheduling plus is Bijan Robinson poised to breakout in 2020?

After weeks of speculation the Big 12 Conference finally announced they would be going with a 10-game model. It would feature nine conference games with just one nonconference matchup at the home stadium of the corresponding Big 12 school. Who will Texas play? How will the schedule likely play out? Plus we provide an update on the Texas-Oklahoma game and Big 12 Championship. Athletic director Chris Del Conte provided an update stating the LSU game will be made up in the future.

The Longhorns finished the 2020 recruiting cycle with yet another top 10 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. Their top prospect Bijan Robinson ranked among the top 15 recruits in the nation. He was recently highlighted as a potential breakout candidate for the Longhorns. One person who was monumental in his recruitment was running backs coach Stan Drayton. Can he turn Robinson into a household name? 247Sports also put together their top 20 underrated defenses in the league with Texas making the list.

Arizona transfer linebacker Tony Fields II is set to visit Texas as he narrows down his list. According to Anwar Richardson of Rivals, Fields is looking at Texas, West Virginia and Minnesota. The Longhorns are also making a strong push to secure a commitment from four-star running back L.J. Johnson who is trending towards Texas A&M at this point in the process. Plus we discuss Sam Ehlinger as he has caught the eye of the decision makers for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

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ESPN’s Top 2019 Texas recruit poised for a breakout: Jordan Whittington

In a recent article, ESPN named second-year wide receiver Jordan Whittington as their top recruit to breakout for the Texas Longhorns.

When it comes to a breakout season in 2020 for the Texas Longhorns they have plenty of options. When you narrow that down to top 2019 recruits poised for a breakout, it significantly narrows that list and removes a player like linebacker Joseph Ossai. The list for 2019 could include wide receiver Jake Smith who finished tied for second on the team in receiving touchdowns. Another name for the future could be another top Arizona product in tight end Brayden Liebrock.

On the defensive side of the ball you could throw in Chris Adimora. He is likely taking over the nickel cornerback role in 2020 due to the level of his play expected and the fact that incumbent started Anthony Cook has left the program. We listed him as one of the guys who could take that role in a recent article on the next man up at nickel.

ESPN recently wrote about which top recruits from 2019 would have a breakout in their second year. For the Longhorns that player is running back turned wide receiver, Jordan Whittington.

Writer Tom VanHaaren says about Whittington:

Whittington was a four-star prospect in 2019 who originally came to Texas as a running back. He converted to wide receiver, but re-aggravated a groin injury and missed all but one game of the season.

Whittington is back to 100 percent now and is in position to help the Texas offense in a big way. He is versatile and gives the Longhorns another option as an H receiver to go along with Jake Smith. With those two on the inside and Whittington having big-play ability, he should be able to make a big impact this season.

Given the lack of experience at the position outside of newcomer Tarik Black and Brennan Eagles, they will need someone in that position group to take the next step. As of late, ESPN has been pinpointing to Whittington as a key cog in the offense for 2020. He was also named their breakout star earlier this offseason.

4 Saints breakout candidates for the 2020 season

The New Orleans Saints are banking on breakout years from several second-year players such as Deonte Harris, Jared Cook, and Shy Tuttle.

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It almost feels like an understatement to say the New Orleans Saints will field a different team in 2020 than the one they finished last season with. They have seven or eight different starting jobs up for grabs with two dozen free agents headed for the market. There’s going to be change all across the roster, but some of those changes will manifest in players breaking out and raising expectations for themselves after a year in the Saints’ system. Here are four breakout candidates to watch as the offseason unfolds.

Shy Tuttle

Tuttle is the projected starter at defensive tackle next to standout nose tackle Malcom Brown; incumbent co-starters David Onyemata (pending free agent) and Sheldon Rankins (rehabbing another lower-leg injury) are unlikely to both return in 2020. While Tuttle’s biggest moment was his stiff-arm of Matt Ryan on Thanksgiving, he was a legitimate player throughout the year who deserves more snaps. It’ll be fascinating to see what he does with more than 23 snaps per game.

Jared Cook

It’s awkward to call a veteran pass-catcher like Cook a breakout candidate, but his 2019 debut wasn’t that impressive until late down the stretch. It took time for him to get on the same page as Drew Brees, but there were few better players in the second half of the season. Cook averaged 69 receiving yards per game in his final seven games (including the playoffs), catching 25 of his 31 targets (80.6%). With that experience and the benefit of a full offseason behind him, Cook has to be seen as a premier receiving threat in 2020.

Deonte Harris

Harris made a tremendous impact on special teams, regularly threatening teams on both punt and kick returns. He ironed out the early-season rookie mistakes (some muffed punts, a few other poor field position decisions) to become the best player on the field in the playoffs. He wasn’t a first-team All-Pro returner and Pro Bowler for nothing. Hopefully the Saints can continue to find ways for Harris to contribute on offense as a real receiver; that position group needs all the help it can get, and Harris has serious potential.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Gardner-Johnson was difficult to take off the field in 2019, but there’s no question about how involved he’ll be in 2020. He’s a dynamic presence in the secondary who tackles like a linebacker and covers like a cornerback. He’s a perfect fit to take over for Vonn Bell at strong safety or replace P.J. Williams in the slot (or if the Saints are feeling really ambitious, both). Expect Gardner-Johnson to start right away on defense next season.

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Packers top breakout players from 2019 season

Highlighting the Packers’ top breakout players from the 2019 season.

Here are the top breakout players from the Green Bay Packers’ 2019 season:

RB Aaron Jones: Signs of stardom were obvious throughout his first two NFL seasons. In 2019, new opportunity combined with immense talent to create a special breakout season. Jones produced 1,707 total yards and scored 23 times over 18 games. He became just the 13th player in NFL history to score at least 23 touchdowns in a single season. Jones led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (19) and total broken tackles (42) and emerged as a legitimate receiving threat (505 receiving yards, four touchdowns). Will his scoring production continue in 2020? Probably not. But Jones will enter his fourth season in 2020 as one of the NFL’s truly special running backs.

WR Allen Lazard: A rollercoaster season for Lazard started with an impressive summer, got momentarily sidetracked by a difficult decision at final cuts and ended with the second-year receiver emerging as a legitimate option in the Packers’ passing game. Despite playing 50 percent or more of the offense’s snaps in just 10 of 18 games, Lazard still produced 38 catches for 513 yards and three touchdowns, including the playoffs. He finished fifth on the team in catches and third in receiving yards and was first among Packers receivers in catch percentage and second in yards per target. Both of his touchdowns against the Detroit Lions helped spark comeback wins. Even if the Packers add receivers this offseason, Lazard should be in a position to contribute next season.

CB Kevin King: The third-year cornerback finally stayed healthy in 2019 and positive results followed. King played in 17 of 18 games and produced 17 pass breakups and a team-high five interceptions. He gave up too many big plays and missed too many tackles, but opposing quarterbacks completed 58.8 percent of passes and had a passer rating of just 84.5 when targeting him. Of his five picks, three came in the fourth quarter, including two in the end zone with the Packers protecting leads. King finished as one of only five players to produce at least five picks and 15 pass breakups in the NFL in 2019. Consistency is the next step. He’ll enter a contract year in 2020.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

OL Elgton Jenkins: The second-round pick took over as the starter at left guard in Week 3 and didn’t give up a sack the rest of the way. He finished in the top 10 of pass block win rate among guards, per ESPN, and in the top 10 of overall grade among left guards, per Pro Football Focus. He was named to the 2019 All-Rookie team. GM Brian Gutekunst believes Jenkins can eventually stand alongside Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle as one of the great Packers guards of the last 25 years. Pro Bowls could be in his future.

Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

CB Chandon Sullivan: Signed off the scrap heap in May, Sullivan forced his way onto the roster during camp and then won a role as the fourth cornerback in Mike Pettine’s defensive back-heavy defense. He was impressive in coverage, allowing just 3.9 passing yards per target and a passer rating of 34.3. In fact, only 11 of 31 passes were completed against his coverage, and he produced six pass breakups and an interception. The young corner was a solid tackler (one miss), effective in the slot and one of the team’s core special teams players. Sullivan could compete to be a starter in 2020.

RB Tyler Ervin: The Packers plucked him off waivers in December and immediately solved their issue at returner. Ervin returned 12 punts for 112 yards and nine kickoffs for 201 yards. Seven of his 12 punt returns gained over 10 yards. He also rushed three times for 35 yards, including an 18-yard gain setting up a touchdown in the Packers’ playoff win over the Seahawks. His speed and quickness added another element as the jet-motion player down the stretch. A looming free agent, Ervin will be coveted by the Packers as the primary returner and gadget player in 2020.

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