Oakland Raiders: Six UDFA’s Who Could Crack The 2017 53-Man Roster
By Kevin Saito
Fadol Brown (DE)
Fadol Brown was initially projected to be a third day draft selection, but he managed to fall off the board entirely. McKenzie though, was there to scoop up the big prospect from Ole Miss pretty quickly.
At 6’4”, 282 lbs., Fadol Brown has the size and has shown the versatility to needed to play on the edge in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense. And given the lack of punch and production from Oakland’s pass rush over the last couple of seasons, having another big, strong, quick pass rusher can only help.
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Khalil Mack (11) and Bruce Irvin (7) accounted for 18 of Oakland’s 25 sacks last season – an NFL-low. Certainly, having Mario Edwards Jr. As well as some young talent like Eddie Vanderdoes and Treyvon Hester up front is going to help. And if Justin Ellis can return to form, it will help even more.
But they still need guys who can get in and get after the quarterback. Which is where Fadol could potentially fit in. His number of sacks in college isn’t eye-popping, but he did get good enough penetration to have a decent number of tackles for a loss.
With his size and athleticism, Brown has shown an ability to shed blockers and make some plays. He can also help occupy blockers well enough that perhaps Mack and Irvin won’t be facing double and triple teams on such a consistent basis.
Bottom line is that the Raiders need help up front. They need to build a ferocious pass rush. Which is why a big, quick body like Brown could potentially earn a spot in the rotation.