Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Rookie Roles: Linebacker Tanner Muse

Why and where he was drafted

Many experts had Tanner Muse graded as a 4th or 5th round pick so it was considered a bit of a reach for the Raiders when they selected him 100th overall in the 3rd round. The Raiders saw him as a linebacker and as we know the position has been a weakness for the team for a decade or more.

Aside from the obvious investment in free agency, the Raiders clearly wanted to further strengthen the unit through the draft and find more linebackers who can cover. Muse has the size at 6’2″ and 230lbs and is working on adding mass so he can stand up to the punishment of playing in the middle of the field. He tested very well at the NFL combine, running a 4.41 40 with a 10 foot broad jump and 20 reps on the bench press.

It is clear that Muse has all the raw athletic ability to play in the NFL and if he can maintain that speed despite putting on weight he could be a versatile weapon in Paul Guenther’s defense. The primary concerns around Muse was his supposed lack of fluidity and the belief that he may struggle in coverage against NFL athletes.

We will have to wait and see if that is the case but the Raiders clearly feel he was worth the early round pick for a reason.