After a fantastic rookie season, the Oakland Raiders are expecting big, big things from their second-year defensive tackle from Michigan. Despite not being listed as a “starter” on the team’s official depth chart, Hurst is expected to be one of the team’s top pass-rushers again this season after totaling 5.5 sacks during his rookie campaign.
In a recent article by Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire, Hurst was named a second-year breakout candidate. Take a look at why Farrar believes the former Michigan All-American could be a star for Oakland this season:
Hurst made it through his rookie campaign for the Raiders without any attendant health concerns, and played well everywhere from nose shade tackle to five-tech end, racking up four sacks and 11 total pressures in just 252 pass-rushing snaps. If Hurst stays healthy, he has the speed through gaps and strong hand movement to dominate offensive linemen throughout the league.
Hurst should make a big jump in Year 2 for a variety of reasons, but the fact that the team brought in more talent around him should help. Look for the second-year defensive tackle to thrive in Paul Guenther’s defense.
