Oakland Raiders: 3 defensive players whose stock is on the rise

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ANN ARBOR, MI – OCTOBER 01: Maurice Hurst #73 of the Michigan Wolverines rushes quarterback Alex Hornibrook #12 of the Wisconsin Badgers during the second quarter of the game at Michigan Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Maurice Hurst, Defensive Tackle

When the Raiders drafted Maurice Hurst Jr. in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, it came with a lot of criticism. Hurst was a potential first round pick until a heart issue was detected at the NFL Scouting Combine, and while he was given a clean bill of health, teams still decided to stay away.

Boy are the Raiders lucky they didn’t, as he has been turning heads during the first couple of days of training camp. The Raiders knew they needed to add talent to the middle of their defensive line as they move to Guenther’s 4-3 scheme, and Hurst looks like a perfect fit.

He is not only a big kid, but he is also very fast, and does a nice job blasting through offensive lineman. There is a reason he was considered the best defensive tackle in his draft class, and he is showing the Raiders coaching staff why.

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Hurst is definitely going to play a big role on this defense, and the only real question is whether or not he will be a starter in Week 1 against the Rams. He is not only getting noticed by the coaches, but also his peers, and he may be the steal of the 2018 NFL Draft if he continues to progress at this level.

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