Carlos Basham Jr. could help cure Raiders nonexistent pass rush
The Las Vegas Raiders will surely do something to address their nonexistent pass rush this offseason. Under Paul Guenther, the Raiders defense could only come up with 21 sacks, despite some positive signs. Nevertheless, that number has to go up next season, so it would make sense to draft Carlos Basham Jr. with the 17th pick in April’s NFL draft.
New defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will be taking over a unit that surrendered 29.9 points per game to opponents. A terrible pass defense contributed a lot to this total, but not being able to mount a pass rush is just as responsible. As a whole, the team totaled 61 tackles for loss, and this is a number that too has to go up.
Basham could also be of use in breaking up the run game along with nailing opposing signal-callers, and his 35.5 tackles for a loss in college certainly back up that claim.
What can Basham bring to the Raiders?
The fact is that Bradley will be under a lot of pressure right out of the gate, so can he put together a pass rush with the front four? Traditionally, he doesn’t blitz much though, at the same time, he’s shown to be a coach that plays to his player’s strengths.
He’ll have to be open to blitzing considering the level of quarterback play in the AFC West. In college, Basham accumulated 19.5 sacks, with ten of them coming in 2019.
The stats certainly make a good case for Basham, as Pro Football Focus presented Basham with solid grades across the board. His run defense grade came in at 62.4 but for pass rush, it was 77.2 for the 2020 season.
Bringing in Basham to shore up the pass rush is the logical choice, all things considered. He displays a motor while pursuing quarterbacks and makes the most of his speed. Even when going up against physically bigger tackles, Basham shows off excellent technique, his spin move stands out in film as he finesses blockers.
The way he explodes off the line is a thing of beauty, not to mention he delivers devasting tackles. His seven forced fumbles show he knows what he’s doing, creating turnovers in the backfield.
"“Left defensive end in a 4-3 scheme that gets chances to rush from the interior on long and late downs.” -Joe Marino of the Draft Network on Basham’s ideal NFL fit"
You can see on film that Basham relies on his brute strength, power, and technique to dominate blockers.
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Perhaps dropping some weight and working more on his secondary movements could allow him to reach another level as a pass-rusher as Marino alludes to. Either way, the Raiders could draft him to be an instant starter; an immediate explosive burst to a lackluster pass rush that didn’t get the job done in 2020.