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As we inch closer and closer to the end of the 2020 season, it’s never too early to look ahead to the 2021 offseason. Going into next year, it’s pretty clear what needs to improve for Las Vegas. They’ve got to improve their defense and there isn’t a position that couldn’t be upgraded.
However, knowing the way Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden want to build their team, it’s very likely that they will devote more resources to the front seven. And that means they could be in the market for a pass-rusher once again.
In a recent mock draft by Trevor Sikkema of The Draft Network, he has the Raiders selecting Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau. The former Hurricane opted out of the 2020 season and will enter the NFL Draft. Here is what Sikkema had to say about the potential pairing:
“If the Raiders can pull this off, they’d be doing backflips—well, maybe not that excited because it means they’d miss the playoffs.
Rousseau’s short resume might hold him back from being a top-10 pick, but his tools and his ceiling are high. Somewhere in the teens feels like a sweet spot for him, and Rousseau to the Raiders would be a perfect fit for the player and the need.”
Rousseau is the exact type of defensive lineman that Rod Marinelli loves to have on his unit. He’s long, athletic and can win from multiple positions. He does his best work as an interior rusher, but his quickness and movement skills allow him to dominate as an edge rusher, as well.
It’s very likely Rousseau ends up as a top-10 pick when it’s all said and done due to his incredible length and athleticism. But with only a handful of starts under his belt, it wouldn’t be a shock if he fell to the teens. Keep an eye on Rousseau’s draft stock throughout the next several months as he could be a potential fit for the Raiders in the first round.
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