Currently, the Las Vegas Raiders are in a position to
Currently in the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders are concentrating on the 2024 NFL Draft. In an effort to strengthen their core for the long run and win now, the Raiders are hoping to add youthful talent to their roster. Raiders supporters should have faith in Coach Antonio Pierce and General Manager Tom Telesco to navigate the lengthy and intricate draft process.
Players that love football and want to compete every snap are what the Raiders are searching for. Nearly all of the team’s players adopted that persona while playing for Pierce. Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive lineman at Western Michigan, is another guy who may suit that description. Kneeland, one of the top defensive lineman in the Group of Five for 2023, has declared for the NFL Draft. Kneeland recorded 149 total stops, 28 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and 12.5 sacks during his tenure with the Broncos. Kneeland, who was selected to the 2023 Second Team All-MAC, had a strong week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which may boost his draft prospects.
Being too big to be a genuine defensive end yet too little to be a defensive tackle, Kneeland is a classic “tweener” size defensive lineman. He weighs 275 pounds and is 6-foot-3. Nevertheless, given his potential scheme flexibility and ability to slot into several defensive fronts, his stature may be an asset.
Kneeland bursts into action right away, but he bears a lot of responsibility as a legitimate defensive end. He might make it as a defensive end in the NFL if he can play off the line of scrimmage as well as he did in college. Although Kneeland can rush on the interior, his finest play is usually bull-rushing tackles off the edge. In his collegiate career, he generated 98 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. In 2023, he was ranked as the 16th best defensive end in the nation by PFF. Although Kneeland is strong and explosive, he could find it difficult to play off the edge on a full-time basis at a higher level. For a 3-4 defensive scheme, he could perform better as a 3-technique defensive lineman.
With his increased stock, Kneeland might be selected in the second round of the April draft. If the Raiders are searching for a defensive lineman with versatility in his position, Kneeland would be a potential match. The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25–27, 2024, in Detroit, Michigan. The No. 13 overall pick is presently in the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders. To ensure that you never miss another breaking news item, make sure to follow @HondoCarpenter on Twitter and @HondoSr on Instagram.