Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) and linebacker Nick Bolton (32) react after the Chiefs stopped the Atlanta Falcons on fourth down during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Chiefs Rookie Linebacker Soaking Up Advice From Veterans

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the more underrated linebacker rooms in the National Football League going into the 2025 regular season. With the likes of Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal holding the position down, anyone would be eager to learn from the success these veterans have had.

In the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chiefs added some linebacker help to boost the room in Oregon product Jeffrey Bassa. The former Duck has been one of the more hardworking players the Chiefs have had in training camp this far, both before and after a small injury.

Bassa was projected to be taken in the fourth round of the draft process, but once the Chiefs saw he was available in the fifth, he was someone they couldn't pass up. Bassa has been one of the first players on the field for training camp practices, and it shows how well he has been performing thus far.

Learning From Veterans

Bassa entered the organization knowing he would have to step up to the challenge and prove he deserves to be where he is. The best way he's been able to do that has been by learning from the veterans in the linebacker room.

Following training camp practice on Tuesday, Bassa reflected on how much he has learned from the veterans and how much more he wants to learn.

"'I've learned truthfully a lot from those guys, especially Drue in the mix as well. But so much knowledge and so much game because they've been in the game for such a long time and been in Spags defense for a long time," Bassa told the media.

"So for them to spill some knowledge that things that I can improve on or things that they know that I'm not seeing, I take a lot of, you know, you kind of have to take a step back and kind of open your eyes and see the bigger picture and what they're trying to say, right? You got to listen to the message, not the tone. So yeah, and I appreciate a lot of those guys for just spilling some of the knowledge and game that they got to me."

With preseason games around the corner, fans should expect Bassa to be on his game and look to become a factor wherever his coaches tell him to be.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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