A key Kansas City Chiefs rookie has already won half the battle for an impactful first season
Kansas City Chiefs rookie R Mason Thomas already has a key factor for a successful rookie season down pat.
It’s shaping up to be a huge year of opportunity for Kansas City Chiefs rookie pass rusher R Mason Thomas. The second-round draft choice enters his first training camp with some buzz about a potential starting role awaiting him this season.
If he’s going to meet the moment, he’s going to need to have the right plan for his skill set in order to make an impact. He’s not a traditional build for playing on the edge at 241 pounds. But the good news for the Kansas City Chiefs is that Thomas appears to be finding inspiration in the right place. During a recent press availability, he shared some of the names he’s modeling his game after. The list is lofty, but it’s rooted in the right stuff for Thomas.
Chiefs rookie R Mason Thomas flexes self-awareness with list of players he models his game after
Self-awareness is a powerful tool and it appears Thomas already has it. The Oklahoma product is a shorter, leaner, less lengthy frame. But he’s twitchy and fluid — so he’s got to play the game a certain way in the pros. His list includes several names who profile similarly. But one name in particular makes a ton of sense: Rival pass rusher Nik Bonitto. One of the Kansas City Chief’s biggest enemies is the perfect inspiration.
That size profile comes into play for both players. Thomas, like Bonitto, stands around 6-foot-2, roughly 240 pounds. And the Broncos pass rusher has gone from being a Day 2 pick with an unorthodox build to splashing in a major way. He’s a slasher who stresses blockers with his agility and acceleration. Thomas has enough juice to win the same way for the Kansas City Chiefs.
When you’re a pass rusher without elite length, the path for success in the NFL narrows. You have to figure out how to make your body type work. That means winning with speed, with hand placement, with bend, and with relentless effort. Bonitto and the rest of the players Thomas cited all figured out those answers at the highest level.
Knowing who you are/can be as a player and studying the right models (like Bonitto) for your individual style is more than half the battle for any rookie. Thomas checking those boxes before the pads even come on in training camp is a good sign for the Kansas City Chiefs.
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