“He’s one of my favorite guys,” the Kansas City Chiefs head coach said. “Pass rush, cover, spy a quarterback because he’s got the speed. Stronger than an ox. Put him down in a down position, up position. He can do a lot of different things for you.”
Holding court with reporters at May’s league meetings in Phoenix, Reid summed up the rising fifth-year linebacker with a bumper-sticker-worthy line.
“He’s dirty tough.”
Reid wasn’t referring to cheap shots. He was describing the Wisconsin product whose NFL.com’s 2022 pre-draft profile compared his dense, muscular frame to a “cinder block.”
Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu, Chenal’s teammate in Kansas City, said, “Leo’s a physical, physical, physical player. When you watch Leo’s tape, you’re gonna see that he takes no prisoners.”
The physique allows the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Chenal, 25, to tangle with hulking linemen in the trenches.
There’s also the speed. Chenal ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine, producing one of the best athletic testing profiles among linebackers in recent years, allowing the relentless defender to chase down offensive playmakers.
All of it comes with an aggressive “see ball, get ball” mentality paired with an analytical approach.
“He’s actually a brilliant kid,” Reid said.
