The Las Vegas Raiders made their first of two third-round picks in the NFL draft, selecting Auburn defensive end Keyron Crawford at No. 67 overall.
Crawford is a transfer from Arkansas State who didn’t make the switch from basketball to football until late in his high school career.
He is a bit undersized, but largely makes up for it with athleticism and a motor that never shows signs of slowing down.
The grade: A-
There are certainly reasons to be skeptical of Crawford’s ability to overcome his relative lack of size and experience at the next level.
It’s possible some of the bigger, stronger NFL offensive linemen will be able to neutralize him and he may not have the tools in his repertoire to know how to counter that.
But the positives are probably worth the risk here. Crawford pops on film and is a capable defender against both the pass and run.
He’s also still getting better. His upward trajectory continues to be very impressive and there’s really no telling how high is ceiling might be as he continues to learn the intricacies of the game.
Crawford will probably be able to play both defensive end and outside linebacker in the Raiders’ new defensive scheme.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
