It’s hard to put into words how impressive Maurice Hurst’s rookie season was with the Raiders. After falling to the fifth round due to a heart issue, Hurst quickly became the team’s best rookie and arguably the best defender.
While the overall numbers may not seem all that impressive, the advanced stats beg to differ. According to Pro Football Focus, Hurst finished the season as the team’s highest-rated tackler, over the likes of Karl Joseph and Erik Harris.
With Hurst already being an above average tackler and a solid run defender, he is likely to have a long career in the NFL. But if he can continue to improve as a pass-rusher and build on his four sacks from 2018, Hurst has a chance to be one of the best under-tackles in the entire league.
Look for the second-year player for Michigan to take another step forward for the Raiders in 2019.
