Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte are sharing a room for Kansas City\u2019s rookie minicamp.<\/p>\n
Going into last weekend\u2019s NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs needed help across the defensive line. So with the next-to-last pick of the second round, they took Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott \u2014 and then just three picks later, selected Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillette.<\/p>\n
Neither player was on the short lists of very many Kansas City fans.<\/p>\n
Norman-Lott was in for just 26% of the Volunteers\u2019 defensive snaps last season \u2014 but when he spoke to reporters during the Chiefs\u2019 rookie minicamp on Saturday, he noted there weren\u2019t very many to go around.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course you want to play more,\u201d he explained, \u201cbut we had a rotation of 16 tackles who could all start in the SEC.\u201d<\/p>\n
And just like Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Volunteers\u2019 defensive line coach Rodney Gardner believes in keeping his players fresh.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I took [the] opportunities that I was given [and] made the best of it,\u201d continued Norman-Lott. \u201cTo hit on the second part, it\u2019ll be the same thing in the NFL. Whatever opportunities I have, I\u2019m gonna make the best of [them] \u2014 whether it\u2019s more or less.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norman-Lott is also making the most of an opportunity to build a relationship with Gillotte.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s my roommate in the hotel,\u201d he revealed, \u201cso we sat there and talked playbook the whole night yesterday \u2014 and just things we have on our mind for this upcoming season [and the] years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
It won\u2019t hurt a bit for the two rookies to work together.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty complex playbook [Spagnuolo] has going on,\u201d said Norman-Lott, \u201cbut I am confident I\u2019ll be able to get a hold of it and learn it. Spags is a great coach \u2014 and I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
For his part, Gillotte believes most of the work will involve learning the terms Kansas City uses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of switching lingo; I feel like that\u2019s the biggest thing,\u201d he said. \u201cBut obviously, I\u2019ve got a lot to learn. [It\u2019s] a big playbook \u2014 [a] very developed game \u2014 so I I\u2019ll try to pick the best brains when I can and and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the two players are building a bond.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a great roommate,\u201d offered Norman-Lott. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t even snore. And me, on the other hand? I can\u2019t promise you that.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Gillote, his new teammate has nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love that man. I can tell we\u2019re building a chemistry right now. But he doesn\u2019t snore, so that\u2019s a blessing; I can actually sleep at night. But he\u2019s a funny dude \u2014 like, just be real.\u201d<\/p>\n
For both players, it\u2019s been a bit of a whirlwind since they were drafted on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been great,\u201d said Gillotte. \u201cIt\u2019s been kind of a blitz \u2014 [a] very quick turnaround \u2014 and obviously, [I\u2019m] grateful to be here. Monday I\u2019ve got to go back and bring all my stuff over. So [I] try not to think about that right now. But it\u2019s [a] great feeling \u2014 and to be in an organization like this is very special.\u201d<\/p>\n
And for both young men, it\u2019s finally hitting home that their dreams are coming true.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast night at the rookie dinner,\u201d volunteered Norman-Lott, \u201cthey played a little highlight of the Chiefs and all the plays they made \u2014 right after Mr. Hunt was done talking. In that moment, in my head, I\u2019m like, \u201cDude you\u2019re really here. This is real.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte are sharing a room for Kansas City\u2019s rookie minicamp. Going into last weekend\u2019s NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs needed help across… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58606,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n