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Geoff Schwartz
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
The Las Vegas Raiders are a top-heavy team. They have two premier players in edge rusher Maxx Crosby and running back Josh Jacobs, both of whom are ranked easily inside the top seven at their positions. Then the Raiders’ young talent falls off a steep cliff.
Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden ran three drafts from 2019-2021. Between misevaluations and tragic off-field incidents, their draft picks did not hit.
The Raiders drafted three players in the first round of the 2019 draft and only Josh Jacobs is on the roster. They did hit Maxx Crosby in the fourth round and Hunter Renfrow in the fifth. Only one of the seven draftees from the 2020 class remains on the roster, with fourth-round pick Amik Robertson on the back end of the cornerback depth chart.
The Raiders’ 2021 first-round pick is playing for the Bears, their second-round pick has underachieved and third-round pass rusher Malcolm Koonce has two sacks in 22 games (zero starts).
Young core
P AJ Cole
OLB Maxx Crosby
RB Josh Jacobs
TE Michael Mayer
S Tre’Von Moehrig
WR Hunter Renfrow
DE Tyree Wilson
A behind the scenes look at Maxx Crosby on and off the field
Standout: Maxx Crosby
Josh Jacobs might get the national spotlight, as one of the NFL’s best running backs. But he’s not the most important Raider.
In four NFL seasons, Maxx Crosby, who turns 26 in a few weeks, has established himself as a premier pass-rusher. Crosby was voted an All-Pro in 2021 and has made the Pro Bowl in two straight seasons. Crosby has 43 total sacks in his short career, including 15 last season. That number is impressive on its own, but considering how often the Raiders have been behind in games, it’s downright stunning.
He’s got fewer opportunities to see offensive linemen in one-on-one opportunities than his peers. Not only does Crosby close on quarterbacks, he’s able to influence the quarterback by being around him more often than not. According to Pro Football Focus Crosby was third in total…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-young-talent-no-20-raiders-have-a-few-elite-players-and-a-lot-of-questions
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Publish date : 2023-08-13 16:28:04
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