How Justin Ellis Fits with the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have added some beef, or "Jelly," by adding Justin Ellis with their first fourth-round pick. Oakland needed to get bigger and deeper along the defensive line, and they've done that by adding Ellis. Ellis is 6'1" and weighs over 330 pounds, and he's a stone wall at times along the defensive line.



What Ellis Brings to the Table

 

Strength and Size

Ellis is a big boy, and despite his shorter arms he is going to be hard to block. He does a good job of occupying blockers and has good lower body movement. His footwork is nice and he keeps pushing forward and has good quickness. He may not be able to keep it up for a full four quarters, but he won't be expected to as he'll be used in a rotation. He can be disruptive for the Raiders defense. 

He'll have to improve his pass-rushing skills to get on the field more, but right now he is an ideal defensive tackle the Raiders can use on a rotational basis. His biggest strength should be helping Oakland against the run because of his strength and size. 

 

Solid Depth

The Raiders were thin along the interior defensive line. Pat Sims, Stacy McGee and Antonio Smith figure to get the most playing time at defensive tackle. Adding Ellis provides the Raiders with a solid rotational player who can make an impact when he is in. He could eventually find himself getting extended playing time, but for now he should be coming off the bench. The Raiders' defensive line finally has some more youth.

 

Where Ellis Fits

Ellis should find himself on the field a lot in 2014. He's 20 pounds heavier than McGee or Sims, so he'll be one of Oakland's run stuffers. Because Ellis can create a push up the middle and can be a relentless rusher, he could find himself in on early downs. He has the ability to leap frog McGee on the depth, but it may take him some time. <...

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