'He's like a mix between Willie and Leo' — Chiefs LB Nick Bolton sends fans into a frenzy with comparison for rookie Jeffrey Bassa

As the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped their mandatory minicamp on Thursday, LB Nick Bolton got the hype train chugging along for one of the team's 2025 NFL draft picks. 

The Chiefs selected Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, moving up with the Pittsburgh Steelers to pick No. 156 overall to select him. Bassa was the best player on the team's draft board and for good reason. The 6-foot-1 and 233-pound linebacker prospect is a former defensive back convert and someone that the team feels can play multiple positions in both base personnel and sub packages. 

Asked about Bassa's performance at mandatory minicamp, Bolton unleashed a comparison that sent Chiefs Kingdom into a frenzy. 

"Yeah, Jeff Bassa, we joke around the time. He's like a mix between (former Chiefs LB) Willie (Gay Jr.) that was here, and Leo (Chenal) in terms of just stature-wise and his playstyle," Bolton told reporters. "I think he's done a great job communicating. One of the things that, as a linebacker coming in, you know your job is to communicate well. He does that probably as good as anybody, and also talks to the secondary and understands what people are doing behind him. I've also had some time to sit down and talk to him a little bit and kind of pick his brain a little bit. And you understand that he's a high-IQ guy, a high motor, he's a little bit of a lighter guy, but he can run, he can cover a little bit. So, he brings those intangibles to the team we need." 

That's quite the player comparison for Chiefs fans to grasp. Gay Jr., of course, being one of the elite click-to-close linebackers during his tenure in Kansas City, with Chenal bringing incredible athleticism, strength, and brute physicality. If he is truly a blend of those two players, the team will be getting the best of both worlds at the position.

The fact that he's already communicating and taking command when he's on the field shows that he's got the football "get-it" that Steve Spagnuolo often talks about, too. But what's the icing on the cake? His skills as a former defensive back are already coming into play. 

"You definitely can tell (he played defensive back in college)," Bolton said. "We made a joke about it one time because he's out there playing press like a corner. We said we take 31 (Jeff Bassa), put 35 (Jaylen Watson) in there, might switch it out a little bit, but yeah it's been pretty fun, man. He's up there. He likes to play coverage, so that'll be great for us." 

Chiefs Kingdom reacts to Nick Bolton's comparison for Jeffrey Bassa

Little did Nick Bolton know what his words about the rookie Jeffrey Bassa would do to the fans. There's already plenty of hype for rookies like Josh Simmons, Jalen Royals, and Brashard Smith after minicamp and OTAs, but now expectations for Bassa might be getting a little out of hand.