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Oakland Raiders: Maurice Hurst graded in top-5 in the AFC West

By Brad Weiss

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 18: Maurice Hurst #73 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates a sack with P.J. Hall #92 in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 18: Maurice Hurst #73 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates a sack with P.J. Hall #92 in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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There were plenty of players drafted before Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, but very few had the kind of rookie season he did.

Heading into the 2018 NFL scouting combine, many experts had Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst as a first-round talent. During his time at Michigan, Hurst displayed an incredible ability to not only cause trouble in the backfield, but also the athleticism to chase down running backs beyond the line of scrimmage.

However, a heart issue was detected at the combine, and while he was cleared, teams were afraid to select him in the 2018 NFL Draft. That was until the fifth round, where the Raiders traded up to the top of the round to select him with the No. 140 overall pick.

Not only did Hurst prove to be a solid player as a rookie, but he actually led the Raiders in sacks, collecting four of the 13 they had as a team. Hurst became a starter in year one, displaying incredible ability at the NFL level, and his performance was not lost on Pro Football Focus.

In fact, when it came to interior defensive linemen within the AFC West, Hurst found himself rated in the top-5 according to Pro Football Focus. Quite an honor for a guy who so many teams passed on so many times.

The Denver Broncos dominated this top-5 list, led by Shelby Harris, who led the AFC West with a 90.8 grade. Chris Jones from Kansas City came in at No. 2, joining Harris as the only two players with a grade over 90.0, and Derek Wolfe and Domata Peko Sr. rounded out the top-4. Hurst was the only rookie to make the list.

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Hurst is going to be a big part of what this Raiders defense does moving forward, and he was well worth the fifth round pick this past April. In his first season in the NFL, Hurst showed that he should have been an early-round pick, and the Raiders have to be happy they rolled the dice on him when they did.

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe
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