The Raiders won thrillingly over the Lions in Week 9 as their 2019 rookie class was a significant reason why they were able to come away with the victory. The draft class scored four touchdowns and made numerous plays on defense to help the team improve to 4-4.
Today, we will break down the performances from their entire class from 2019. Here is the team’s rookie report card after Week 9.
DE Clelin Ferrell: C+
While Ferrell failed to record a sack in this contest, he did make a few big plays on defense for the Raiders. He finished the game with four tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss in the Raiders’ win. Oakland is certainly hoping that Ferrell can make a leap soon, and his play on Sunday was at least somewhat encouraging.
RB Josh Jacobs: A
Every week, Jacobs impresses even more than he did in the previous week. This time, he went for 120 yards on the ground on 28 carries and scored twice. He is a true workhorse back who always is moving forward. Despite all of his carries in Week 9, he never had a run that lost yardage. Jacobs is quickly establishing himself as one of the best runners in the entire NFL.
SS Johnathan Abram: N/A
The No. 27 pick in the 2019 NFL draft suffered a shoulder injury in Week 1 and was placed on the injured reserve list. The expectation is that Abram will miss the entire season. 2016 first-round pick Karl Joseph started in place of Abram in Week 9.
CB Trayvon Mullen: C
Mullen once again got the start at cornerback with Gareon Conley now in Houston. Considering the opposition, Mullen handled the challenge well, despite being beaten a few times. He is still a work in progress, but it’s clear the talent is there.
DE Maxx Crosby: D
Sunday wasn’t the best outing for Crosby as he had two personal foul penalties that gave the Lions first downs. He finished the game with just three tackles and no sacks, pressures, or quarterback hits. Crosby has shown that he can be a much better player than this, so don’t be overly concerned with his poor play in Week 9.
CB Isaiah Johnson: N/A
After suffering a broken bone in his face during the team’s first preseason game, fourth-round pick Isaiah Johnson was placed on the Raiders’ injured reserve list. He is eligible to return right now, but the team is still waiting on him to get some more practice time before they give him a roster spot.
TE Foster Moreau: B+
While Moreau didn’t see a ton of action in the passing game, he produced when it mattered the most. Moreau caught a touchdown pass on fourth down to help the Raiders regain the lead, and he was dominating as a blocker, as usual. Moreau is quickly establishing himself as one of the best No. 2 tight ends in all of football.
WR Hunter Renfrow: A
Renfrow had the best day of his NFL career in Week 9, catching six passes for 54 yards and the game-winning touchdown. It’s clear he is starting to develop a chemistry with quarterback Derek Carr and he is starting to produce some big numbers. Look for Renfrow to continue to be a big part of the offense going forward.
DE Quinton Bell: N/A
Bell was released from Oakland’s practice squad in Week 6 as the team continues to churn the bottom of the roster. Bell was just too raw of a player for Oakland to continue to stash.
