Raiders Draft Prospect: DE Marshawn Kneeland of Western Michigan
The Las Vegas Raiders are at a point in the offseason where they are focused on the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Raiders are looking to add young talent to their roster in hopes of winning in the short term and building a core for the long term.
The draft is a long and complicated process, but Raiders fans should feel optimistic that Coach Antonio Pierce and General Manager Tom Telesco will be able to figure it out.
The Raiders are looking for players who love football and want to compete on every snap. Under Pierce, almost every player on the team took on that identity.
One player who could fit that identity as well is Western Michigan defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland. One of the best defensive linemen in the Group of 5 in 2023, Kneeland, has entered the NFL Draft.
Kneeland finished his Broncos’ career with 149 total tackles, 28 tackles for losses, three forced fumbles and 12.5 sacks. A Second-Team All-MAC member in 2023, Kneeland had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., potentially improving his draft stock.
Kneeland has the typical "tweener" size for a defensive lineman, too big to be a true defensive end but too small to be a defensive tackle. He stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 275 pounds. However, his size could be a good thing, as he could be scheme-flexible, potentially fitting into multiple defensive fronts.
Western Michigan defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland is a big-bodied presence off the edge. Will he stay there if he joins the Las Vegas Raiders?
Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
While he carries a lot of weight for a true defensive end, Kneeland explodes off the snap. If he can get off the line of scrimmage in the NFL the way he did in college, he could survive as a defensive end in the NFL.
Kneeland is at his best when he is bull-rushing tackles off the edge, but he could also be someone who can rush on the interior. According to Pro Football Focus, he created 98 pressures in his college career and was PFF’s 16th-highest rated defensive end in the nation in 2023.
Kneeland has strength and explosiveness but might struggle to play off the edge full-time at the next level. He might be better as a 3-technique defensive tackle for a 3-4 defensive end.
While Kneeland improved his stock and might be a second-round selection in April’s draft, he could be a good fit if the Raiders are looking for a defensive lineman with positional flexibility.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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