Oakland Raiders: Maurice Hurst ready to be new Geno Atkins
The Oakland Raiders gambled on Maurice Hurst in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but he could be a Rookie of the Year candidate if healthy.
When the draft process started, University of Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was routinely ranked among the top prospects. However, questions about a heart condition that was discovered during the vetting process at the NFL Combine sent his stock plummeting.
Although he was cleared by NFL doctors through post-Combine testing, Hurst fell to the fifth round where he was the second defensive tackle selected by the Oakland Raiders in the draft. Thankfully, Hurst went through his first minicamp without a problem. Now it’s time for fans to breathe as Hurst appears to be 100 percent healthy and focused.
According to Matt Schneidman The Mercury News, Hurst already understands what’s to be expected from him in new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s defense, saying the following:
"“Our 3-technique is our penetrator of our defense, so you have to have someone like Geno [Atkins] to make the rest of the defense go. That’s a major part of Coach Guenther and why he brought in me and P.J. [Hall]…”"
The importance of the 3-tech in Guenther’s defense can’t be overstated. Look no further than his three-year stint with the Bengals as proof. Specifically, look at the career of Geno Atkins, who had 32 sacks in fours season in Guenther’s defense.
In fact, Atkins has back-to-back nine-sack seasons and then hit 11 in 2015. Previously, he had only one season with more than nine. This is great news for Raiders fans and Hurst.
P.J. Hall, who was selected in the second round by Oakland, is a phenomenal athlete. He has great explosiveness and power. However, Hurst was brought in to play the 3-tech — the outside shoulder of the offensive guard, or the 2i technique lined up closer to the A-gap. On tape, Hurst is easily the better prospect as an upfield rusher and great fit for Guenther’s scheme.
As a matter of fact, Hurst, who is 6-1, 292 pounds, is eerily similar to Atkins’ Combine measurables (6-1, 293 pounds). Like Atkins, he’ll have to answer questions about his size. Nevertheless, Hurst has amazing quickness and an elite first step. When guards try to trap him, he’s too quick and never loses with his technique.
Similarly to Atkins, Hurst also uses his quickness to help out in the run game, creating tackles for loss. For the Wolverines, Hurst has five sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. Additionally, he had 61 total tackles, further evidence of his ability to dominate in the run game.
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Hurst is an immensely talented upfield rusher who’ll excel in a Atkins type role for the Raiders. Early on, the Raiders could use him strictly on passing downs. Furthermore, if his health concerns continue to be a non-factor, there’s a chance Hurst could become a starter sooner rather than later. With Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin getting all the attention, Hurst can wreak havoc.