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AFC West: Top rookies in the division through week two

By Sayre Bedinger

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 16: Running back Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on September 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 16: Running back Phillip Lindsay #30 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on September 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 10: Kolton Miller #77 of the Oakland Raiders blocks Chad Meredith #59 of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of their NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 10: Kolton Miller #77 of the Oakland Raiders blocks Chad Meredith #59 of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of their NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Oakland Raiders

Kolton Miller (1st round)

Through two games and 83 pass blocking reps, first-round rookie left tackle Kolton Miller out of UCLA has allowed just three total pressures on quarterback Derek Carr despite facing off in weeks one and two against the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos.

That is no small accomplishment given he also only has one penalty in 135 snaps.

Miller is doing a good job and the Raiders have schemed to get rid of the ball quickly to help him out. It also is a huge help for a rookie left tackle to have a player like Kelechi Osemele on his side of the line.

Maurice Hurst (5th round)

The fifth-round pick out of Michigan has become a significant contributor for the Raiders’ defense rather quickly after injury/health-related concerns pushed him way down draft boards.

Hurst could have been a first-round pick were it not for a heart issue that popped up on his medical checks at the Scouting Combine.

He notched his first career sack against the Denver Broncos and has a couple of really nice plays against the run through two games.

Arden Key (3rd round)

Though Key needs to continue to prove he can hold up over four quarters of an NFL game without wearing down (the Raiders did trade away the guy who was supposed to be keeping everyone else fresh, after all), he has done pretty well through his first two NFL games.

He has three quarterback hits in two games and has done a pretty good job against the run, racking up three tackles for either no gain or a loss.

The Raiders are obviously going to be counting on Key to provide some consistent pressure off the edge.

Overall, it really looks like the Raiders are going to be a team counting heavily on rookies performing week in and week out this season. That’s the expectation anytime you have a rookie starting at left tackle, but the Raiders also need their young players to step up on the defensive line this season. So far, individually, they have done just fine.

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