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NFL Draft Prospect Spotlight: Carlos Basham Jr.

The Raiders are evaluating the Wake Forest product who brings proven production over a four-year college career to the NFL Draft.

We’ve been going over a lot of the top edge prospects the Las Vegas Raiders could look at picking 17th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Considering the team’s pass rush needs, it warrants the attention, and that’s why today we continue by looking at Wake Forest defensive end Carlos Basham Jr.

Basham isn’t as highly rated as a prospect as Kwity Paye and Gregory Rousseau.

Unlike someone like Rousseau, scouts know exactly what they’re getting with a player like Basham.

A four-year player at Wake Forest, Basham’s productivity increased every year leading up to his breakout junior season.

It was then in 2019 that Basham earned first-team All-ACC honors by having career highs in sacks and tackles for losses with 10 and 18, respectively.

He certainly brings strength in his 6-5, 285-pound frame. That kind of size gives good leverage both as a pass rusher and as a run defender.

Being on the edge with that kind of weight also means he could likely be a mismatch when used against opposing guards inside.

The potential that comes with Basham doesn’t come with his experience though.

Going back to Rousseau, while he doesn’t have the experience of a player like Basham, his upside and athleticism will likely prove too tantalizing to turn down.

Basham, on the other hand, doesn’t offer the same kind of explosiveness.

More so a player that relies on his power and IQ, Basham is someone who can give you a solid floor as a prospect but maybe not the upside of others.

Teams might value what they know over what they don’t though after a college season impacted by game cancellations due to COVID-19.

If so, Basham and his 112 quarterback pressures from 2018-19 could potentially entice a team like the Raiders looking for that kind of sure help. 

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