Holy Toledo! As in Toledo defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, the Oakland Raiders 7th round draft pick in the 2017 NFL draft. Usually you don't expect too much from a 7th round pick, but there are a lot of things to be intrigued by with Hester. Not the least of which is that he received all-conference honors in 3 out of the 4 seasons he played at Toledo, and he used the one year he missed out as motivation to lose 20lbs before the next season started.
While it is still going to be an uphill climb for any 7th rounder to make an NFL squad, there is reason to believe that Hester could be one of the ones who finds a spot for himself. His numbers as defensive tackle at Toledo are solid and he responded very well to the one subpar year in 2015. He improved in all categories after he lost the 20lbs and that's even with playing one less game.
He also says he knows what Raider Nation is all about because he grew up in the football crazy city of Pittsburgh. The Steelers and Raiders have a historic rivalry going way back to the 70's so you know he isn't just saying he understands the significance of being a Raider.
“I’m born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, so I know about football. I was raised around football and I know about the Raider Nation. I know about the fans, the fan atmosphere down there. I know that it’s crazy, I know that they love their team and I’m just ready to come out there and bleed for them.”
Measurables:
Height: 6'2”
Weight: 300lbs.
Arm Length: 32”
Hand Size: 9 3/4”
40-yard dash: 5.09
Stats:
2016: 10 games, 39 TAK, 8.5 TFL, 5 SACK, 1 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR
2015: 11 games, 34 TAK, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 SACK, 1 PD, 1 FR
2014: 13 games, 49 TAK, 9.5 TFL, 2 SACK, 1 PD, 1 FF, 2 FR
2013: 11 games, 39 TAK, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 SACK, 1 PD
Awards:
2x 2nd team all-MAC (coaches vote) (2014, 2016)
3rd team all-MAC (2013)
2016 Nagurski Watch List
Team Captain
Strengths:
Instinctive and reactive player who quickly identifies runners attacking nearby gaps, moves suddenly allowing him to make plays more consistently. Hester is a good hand figher who knows to keep offensive linemen at bay by using his own hands efficiently. He has enough power to shed blocks and tracks players laterally very well.
The move that is most impressive from Hester is his arm over move that allows him to get underneath and past a blocker very quickly. Uses that move very effectively several times in the Draft Breakdown video below in a game against number 24 ranked Temple. He also is a good enough athlete to play anywhere along the defensive line that the Raiders put him.
Great character guy who was voted team captain for Toledo his senior year and majored in Criminal Justice.
Weaknesses:
The biggest weakness for Treyvon Hester clearly is that he plays too high at times which allows blockers to stand him up and take him out of the play. He needs to work on his feet to create a stronger base and to make sure to play at the right pad level. Though he shows power at times, he does not have enough strength to overcome when blockers stand him up or get him off balance at the point of attack.
Also Hester does not always show complete effort to track down plays after being blown out of them originally which is a red flag. He sometimes will go half speed when he knows he won't catch up to a player, which is unacceptable because sometimes you can get back into a play even when it seems lost.
What he brings to the Raiders:
If Treyvon Hester can make the roster he will bring a versatile player that will be able to play multiple positions along the Raiders defensive line. His over arm move definitely shows strong promise, especially if he can add a spin move to take advantage when blockers over compensate to stop him from going under them.
You can never have too many big defensive linemen and Treyvon Hester will definitely have a chance to make the squad despite being a 7th round pick. He would have had a better chance to make the Raiders if he was a little bigger though, the Raiders needed a player that could play nose tackle and Hester is not likely a fit for that position.
He is a good enough athlete and powerful enough to play at the next level though and may find a role as a utility depth player for the Raiders. If not, he absolutely is a very strong candidate to add to the practice squad if he isn't able to make the team outright this season.
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