It doesn’t seem long ago that Raiders defensive lineman Maurice Hurst, P.J. Hall and Arden Key were bright-eyed rookies who provided hope and confidence to the coaching staff.
Times have changed, however. It appears the trio could be fighting for roster spots in 2020, their third year with the club.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden had a lot to say about Hall, Hurst and Key when asked how new defensive line coach, Rod Marinelli, could help the team’s young front line. All three players were drafted by Gruden in his first year back with the club in 2018, with former general manager, Reggie McKenzie, by his side.
“They have to prove they belong in this league,” Gruden said over a Zoom call with the media Thursday. “They have to prove that they can be front-line guys. P.J. Hall, [Maurice] Hurst, [Arden] Key, those are three guys that we used high draft picks on. Arden’s got to stay healthy, P.J. Hall, I’m anxious to see where his weight is, he came in overweight last year — not at that position, can’t happen. Mo Hurst has had some good moments, but we need these guys to burst on the scene, no question.”
While it’s not accurate to say Hurst was a high draft pick, he carried a first-round grade into the draft before a heart condition caused him to slide to the fifth round. On the other hand, Hall was a second-round choice and Gruden picked Key in the third round.
Hall has underwhelmed at defensive tackle, with the worst fear surrounding him — that his small-school pedigree wouldn’t transfer to the NFL — coming true thus far. It’s especially concerning that he was overweight last season.
Key, as the only defensive end in this group, looked to be the best pass rusher, having flashed immense potential in college at Louisiana State.
But he’s had his own weight issues. He’s looked too slender to make an impact at DE, though he’s displayed potential as a disruptor at times. Worst of all, he played just seven games last year after suiting up in 16 contests in 2018.
Hurst has easily shown the most promise amongst these three linemen. He followed a solid rookie campaign with a slow start in 2019, but he picked it up, earning the sixth-best grade in the NFL at defensive tackle from Week 9-17 last season.
The Raiders’ defense must continue to improve if Las Vegas is to keep rising as a team. Hurst, Hall and Key will have their opportunity to show Gruden they can be a part of that resurgence. But they’d do well to get off to a fast start and show their coach that they indeed belong in the NFL.
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