Oakland Raiders “Oldest Roster” Label Belies Youth Movement

August 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver (second from right) instructs defensive end Antonio Smith (94) and defensive end Justin Tuck (91) during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Lions 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Position: Defensive Line 

Old Players: Justin Tuck (31), Antonio Smith (32), LaMarr Woodley (29), Pat Sims (28)

Young Players: Justin Ellis (23), Stacy McGee (24), Shelby Harris (23)

The defensive line group may be one of the deepest on the team. After losing last year’s team sack leader and promising young star DE Lamarr Houston, Reggie McKenzie went out and brought in heralded veterans LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck to bookend Jason Tarver’s defense, as well as former Houston DE Antonio Smith to move in and play the 3-technique tackle position alongside  28-year-old Pat Sims, who was brought in last year from the Bengals. In the 2014 draft, McKenzie used a 4th round pick to land 334-pound monster tackle Justin “Jelly” Ellis from Louisiana Tech and a 7th round pick to land former Illinois State DE Shelby Harris. These two rookies join 2013 6th round pick defensive tackle Stacy McGee as the apparent future of the Raider defensive line. While Woodley, Smith and Tuck have all shown up well on the field and in the locker room in preseason and their starting jobs are cemented, defensive lines are a rotation of players, and each of these three young players has shown enough to be included in the Raiders d-line rotation this year.

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Harris, who sat out 2013 due to off-the-field issues, has shown flashes of ability both against the run and the pass, recording eight tackles and one tackle for loss as well as a quarterback sack and a pass swatted down during his four appearances in preseason action. He is listed as the Raiders second-string right defensive end behind LaMarr Woodley, but with his stout (6’2″ 288) frame and skill set, likely won’t play much of the LEO rush-end role, especially given the acquisition of 23-year old Benson Mayowa from the Seahawks. Justin “Jelly” Ellis is another short, wide body at 6’2″ and 334 pounds, and will spell Pat Sims at the nose tackle position.  With his size and strength, he can eat up blockers in the run game, freeing up linebackers like Nick Roach, Khalil Mack and Sio Moore to make plays in the run game. Stacy McGee, who is slightly more svelte than Ellis at 6’3″ and 310, played 15 games last year, recording 20 tackles and a 1/2 sack. He is listed on the depth chart right behind Smith at the 3-technique, but may also play some NT depending on scheme. While Tuck, Smith, Sims and Woodley are definitely the Raider defensive line of the now, there is a lot of quality depth in that rotation, and in that depth are young players who could develop into capable starters in the years to come.