With The First Pick
Fansided

Oakland Raiders Get ILB Their Defense Needed

By Carl Cockerham

Sep 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins inside linebacker Perry Riley (56) onto the field prior to the Redskins
Sep 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins inside linebacker Perry Riley (56) onto the field prior to the Redskins /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 8
Next
Dec 7, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Benny Cunningham (36) is tackled by Washington Redskins strong safety Phillip Thomas (41) and inside linebacker Perry Riley (56) during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Benny Cunningham (36) is tackled by Washington Redskins strong safety Phillip Thomas (41) and inside linebacker Perry Riley (56) during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Instincts

If you’re going to be a small linebacker, you have to have the instincts to get you to the ball quicker. Otherwise, some 330 pound man is going to do harm to your body before you can get to the ball. Smith is getting better at it but he came into the league as a coverage specialist.

And Heeney is young so he guesses wrong a lot and that gets him pancaked at times. To go with his physical advantage, Riley has better instincts, entering his seventh year in the NFL. And he’s been a full-time ILB, seeing all the different looks an NFL ILB could see.

Taking on blocks and shedding them is good but it’s instincts that get ILBs to the ball for tackles. But Riley’s instincts always lead him to the football to rack up a lot of tackles. In 2012 and 2013, Riley averaged 120 tackles a year and in 2014, he had 94 in 14 games.

In 2015, he only played in nine games and was hurt in the games he played in. But anytime he’s been healthy and the starter in his career, he’s put up good numbers. He’s 28 now, in his prime, so there’s no reason to believe he can’t still produce.

Home/Las Vegas Raiders