Josey Jewell just feels like a player that Jon Gruden would have gone on a rant about in the Monday Night Football booth. A classic Gruden Grinder, Jewell was a three-time captain at Iowa and won 2017 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
One of the most productive linebackers in Big Ten history, he finished his career with over 400 tackles, 10 sacks and 26 passes deflected. There is a reason why he was the school’s only three-time captain.
Jewell uses a combination of extremely high football IQ and instinct to always be in a position to make a play. The tape on him speaks for itself, as he is continually playing at 100 mph, but is never out of control.
He has an incredible knack to know what the offense is doing before the snap, and the Raiders need leaders in the middle of their defense.
The problem with Jewell is his frame, as at 6-foot-1 and 230lbs, he gets swallowed up by bigger lineman. Most players at his size usually possess great speed to avoid this, but he only ran 4.83 at the combine. Though he does possess some underrated quickness, teams will probably opt to draft higher ceiling athletes.
Gruden will look at the tape of this kid and instantly fall in love with him. Finding a player like Jewell in the third round would be a massive steal in his eyes.