Heading into the 2019 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders had a strong sense of where they needed to improve and that was at defensive end. With the No. 4 pick, the Raiders selected defensive end Clelin Ferrell from Clemson.
After spending such a high pick at the position, it was somewhat surprising to see them select another defensive end. With pick No. 106, the Raiders took defensive end Maxx Crosby from Eastern Washington.
While Ferrell is clearly the more NFL-ready player, Crosby isn’t far behind. On top of being an excellent athlete, Crosby was highly productive during his collegiate career. During his final two years in the MAC, Crosby tallied 127 tackles, 35.5 tackles for a loss and 18.5 sacks.
Not only was he productive in the passing game, but he also proved to be incredible against the run. According to Pro Football Focus, Crosby was the second-best run defender of any player in the 2019 NFL draft.
With his athleticism and production, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get a lot of snaps right away. Obviously, the team feels really strongly about Ferrell, and he is expected to start from Day 1. But could Crosby surpasses second-year player Arden Key on the depth chart?
Key struggled as a rookie, recording just one sack on 644 snaps. Not only was he ineffective as a rusher, but he struggled to stop the run, as well. Given that Crosby fits the defensive end profile better and is a better athlete than Key, it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him start ahead of the former LSU Tiger at some point during the season.
Ultimately, the Raiders might be better off allowing Crosby to play on first and second down and allow Key to be more of a designated pass-rusher. Nevertheless, look for Crosby to challenge Key for snaps early in 2019.
