Eddie Vanderdoes Another Hit For Oakland Raiders

Eddie Vanderdoes is the third hit in a row the Oakland Raiders just drafted!

A lot of people are sleeping on Eddie Vanderdoes, whom the Raiders just took in the third round in the draft. The former UCLA D-lineman was a five-star recruit out of high school. Five star recruits usually turn into first-round talents as was the case with Vanderdoes.

He was actually in the first round on a lot of draft boards early last season but did not remain. Many scouts cited “inconsistent tape”, which you can understand when he’s coming off a torn ACL. But inconsistent tape is inconsistent tape and this is a deep defensive draft class.

You would have to see his tape in 2014 and one game in 2015 to know he’s a first-round talent. In 2014 he was starting to look like the five-star recruit he was recruited to be. In 2015, he looked unblockable with eight tackles, two for a loss in the opener against Virginia.

He would go on to miss the rest of the season and in 2016, he only looked great in spots. Conditioning and his weight were a big part of the problem in his last year at UCLA. When you’re rehabbing a knee injury, there are a lot of things you can’t do to get ready for football.

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So he ballooned all the way up to 350 pounds, a bit too much for him to carry on a football field. Then leading up to the the pre-draft workouts, he trimmed down to 305 and ran a 4.9 40. I heard he put some of that weight back on but not enough to affect him on the field.

When Vanderdoes is at his best, he has crazy power, jolting opposing O-linemen with his hands. And just as that 4.9 he ran would suggest, he has surprising athleticism for his size. When you double him in the run game, he anchors down and won’t be moved off the line.

He also has the quickness and agility to split that double team for a tackle for a loss. Another thing Vanderdoes has a surprising ability to rush the passer for a man his size. With the physical tools and skills he has, this youngster can be a domnant player.

Head coach Jack Del Rio would not say exactly where he would play but NT sounds good to me. The team just got rid of Dan Williams, who reported out of shape in 2016 after a solid 2015. It will be interesting to see what the Raiders do for the of the draft.

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