Being a rookie in the NFL is hard, as it is in any professional sports league. But being a rookie on the Kansas City Chiefs during the dynasty era is even harder. As a rookie, you have these huge expectations on yourself to contribute to a Super Bowl-winning team.
Not to mention, the Chiefs have absolutely nailed the draft process the last few years. They have one of the best draft classes by any team in recent memory in the 2022 Draft Class. So, you don’t want to be that guy who is one of the few rookies in the class that ends up not working out, do you?
And lastly, you have the fact that the Chiefs have one of the most complex defensive systems and offensive systems and playbooks in the entire league. All of that is going on while you’re still trying to find your footing in the league and learning how to become a pro. When you’re with the Chiefs as a rookie, one of the best off-the-field things you could do is watch film constantly.
The Chiefs drafted a film junkie in the fifth round.
“I’m a huge film junkie,” Bassa told reporters earlier this week. “There’s sometimes where, you know, I’m just sitting in the house all day watching film for hours, right? So I take a lot of pride in, you know, taking good notes and watching a lot of film, right? And I think that just really came from, you know, my love of the game for football. So in high school, you know, when I first started getting into football, I remember I went on YouTube and I’d watch NFL Defensive breakdowns of just like defensive coverages, like people on YouTube just saying, ‘Oh, this team’s in this defense, and this linebacker is responsible for this,’ right?
“So I really had that itch for watching film, and we were just wanting to learn more about football and defensive schemes. And then I really started moving that over to offense, right? Picking my OC’s brain at Oregon, getting close with the quarterbacks and learning what they’re understanding and what they’re trying to do from an offensive standpoint.”
With how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes his players, especially rookies who have a shot at getting on the field, Bassa is already ahead. Not many Day 3 guys are actual film junkies, and for Bassa, he will need to do whatever he can to get his chance on the field.
Watching film, knowing any possible situation that could happen, and studying every look for both sides of the ball, is only going to help any player. Bassa seems to have a good head on his shoulders, and you can obviously tell he is an extremely intelligent player.
The Chiefs picked him for a reason. His background as a safety will help him in coverage, but he also has great communication skills. Pair that with a guy who grinds film, and he could turn into a big-time player for the Chiefs.
