The Raiders are in desperate need of pass-rush help this offseason. They need a player on defense that can take over games and a defender that opponents have to gameplan for each week. Unfortunately, the 2021 NFL Draft doesn’t many of those types of defensive linemen.
However, one player that has the potential to do that in the NFL is Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh. Despite not having a sack during the 2020 season, Oweh is widely viewed as a first-round pick due to his athleticism.
According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Oweh ran a 40-yard dash time of 4.33 at 257 pounds last offseason. That would make him the fastest defensive end to enter the NFL since Montez Sweat at 4.41. He also has a projected 36 inch vertical and a 10’7 broad jump, but of which are well beyond the average for the position.
In a recent mock draft by Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus, Oweh was the projected pick for the Raiders at No. 17. Here is what he had to say about the potential fit between Oweh and Las Vegas:
“One of several developmental edge prospects in this class, Oweh is athletic and bendy for the position but lacks high-end collegiate production. He earned just an 81.8 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2019 and an 80.3 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2020. However, he is a project worth investing in the back end of the first round for a Raiders’ team in desperate need of some juice along the edge.”
When defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was with the Seahawks, they took a speedy, undersized defensive end in Bruce Irvin and turned him into a star. Could Oweh do the same in Las Vegas under defensive line coach Rod Marinelli? It’s a fascinating fit and could work out well for the Raiders given their need to find speed this offseason.
Keep an eye on Oweh as a darkhorse candidate for the Raiders at No. 17 due to his incredible athleticism and potential.
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