Raiders Third-Round Possibilities, Part 20
The start of the 2022 NFL Draft is now upon us, and that means it will be only one more day before the Las Vegas Raiders have their chance to add the newest members to what they hope will be a real contender.
Finding more reliable pass rushers can never hurt in that regard, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Alex Wright could be a high upside get later in the draft.
Still more of a raw prospect after his time at UAB, Wright was still able to provide tremendous production on the edge last season.
Wright finished with career highs with 45 total tackles, 7.5 for a losses, and six sacks last season.
Those numbers normally wouldn't result in Pro Football Focus giving him a 91.1 grade rushing the passer, but Wright was also able to accumulate 46 combined hits and hurries on opposing quarterbacks.
Wright is long and well-built at 6-7 and 270 pounds, giving him the kind of frame that coaches would salivate over to put on their defensive line.
He combines that length with a powerful first punch coming off the line, possessing the strength to overwhelm an offensive lineman.
Add being quick to get off on the ball, and Wright can win reps very early, while still having the anchor to be a reliable run defender.
There's not much polish to his game, though, as Wright often ducks his head on contact and loses sight of the ball carrier and his gap integrity.
Wright doesn't have much in the way of refined technique as a pass rusher, isn't fluid in space and has poor leverage due to his height.
He will need time to add a full complement of pass rush moves once he enters the NFL, but the Raiders can offer him time to develop.
With bookends Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones as starters, Wright can be part of a deep rotation where he can be deployed in situations that maximize his strengths.
That can be especially true if he's rotated inside on passing downs, where Wright's length can be used to great effect against opposing guards.
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