Raiders

Raiders Must Target These 3 Edge Rushers Early In the Draft

[tps_title]Draft target: Jaelen Phillips[/tps_title]

Raiders
DE Gregory Rosseau (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Gregory Rousseau is worth a first-round pick

Gregory Rousseau from the University of Miami is 6-foot-7 and weighs 260 pounds. He is the prototypical hand in the dirt defensive end. Also, he has absurd length and explosive athletic ability for a man that size. The defensive end was an opt-out this past year, so you have to go back to his 2019 tape of his redshirt sophomore year. In that year, he had 55 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in 13 games.

Watching tape of Rousseau, you could see a little bit of current Raiders’ player, David Irving. Both have similar physical traits, and both play along the entire defensive line, inside and out. He wins every matchup everywhere he lines up because of his explosive athletic ability. While playing inside against guards, the Florida native goes by them before they can get out of their stance. At defensive end, his length, speed, power and bend are too much for college tackles to handle. Again, you don’t over think it and try to be smarter than everyone else, you let him attack the quarterback.

Did someone just say, ‘Hey, do Jaelan Phillips next’? Well, guess what, sometimes you get what you wish for. Jaelan Phillips is another 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end. Where do they get these guys? Do they just grow on orange trees down there in Miami? If so, the Raiders need all of them. Maybe this is the year they can find a replacement for Khalil Mack.

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1 thought on “Raiders Must Target These 3 Edge Rushers Early In the Draft”

  1. Rousseau is the obvious pick. I love his length, size, athleticism, and production. Everything that a first-rounder should have – no need to “project” what he will do. And he may get back to the Raiders since he opted out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he is gone.

    Phillips is a major medical risk with a concussion history, and will slide in the draft, probably back into the third or later.

    The kid from Georgia seems good, but the Raiders run a 4-3 and our current lightweight DE gets killed in the run game. He might be a better fit elsewhere, and I don’t think is quite at the same level as Rousseau.

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