Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) chases Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half of their game Dec. 1, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo.
Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 | 2 a.m.
Earlier this week Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs learned they were selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time. It’s a huge milestone for both players and clearly marks them as young building blocks for the Raiders franchise.
Unfortunately, the dual breakthroughs of Waller and Jacobs are probably not going to be enough to get Las Vegas into the playoffs this season. The team simply needs more players like that. So now the question becomes, which young Raiders could be the next to earn their first Pro Bowl berth?
Ranked from most likely to least likely:
*Players such as Derek Carr and Rodney Hudson have already made the Pro Bowl, so they are not included in this list.
Daniel Carlson, K
Age: 25
It’s kind of a cheat to list a special teams player here, but Carlson is only 25 and is having a really good year. He has made 28-of-30 field goal attempts, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 50-plus yards, and he has been automatic from inside 40 yards (21-of-21). He has also knocked through 41 of 42 extra point attempts. It’ll be tough to make the AFC Pro Bowl roster with Baltimore’s Justin Tucker keeping a near-permanent hold on the spot, but Carlson is closer making it than the rest of the Raiders roster.
Maxx Crosby, DE
Age: 23
The fastest way for a defensive player to earn recognition is to rack up a high sack total, and Crosby is on the cusp of doing that. He totaled 10.0 as a rookie and has followed that up with 6.0 so far this season, which puts him closer to Pro Bowl-level production than you think; the three AFC selections at defensive end — Myles Garrett, Joey Bosa and Frank Clark — are on pace to average 8.4 sacks this year, and Crosby has more sacks and tackles for loss than Clark. What Crosby needs more than anything is for the Raiders to win games and make the playoffs consistently. That would raise his profile and make the Pro Bowl a very attainable goal.
Whoever they draft in the first round
Age: 20-22 (approx.)
As of now the Raiders are slated to have the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 draft, and a quick perusal of mock drafts shows that some of the players projected to be available around that spot include Alabama receivers Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith, Texas linebacker Joseph Ossai, Georgia edge defender Azeez Ojulari, Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. Draft history tells us one (or maybe more) of those guys is going to be a star. If the Raiders choose wisely, their 2021 first-rounder will be more likely to make the Pro Bowl than any of the current players listed below this point.
Kolton Miller, OT
Age: 25
Miller has been more than serviceable since being selected in the first round in 2018, and his play has trended in the right direction during his three seasons. He’s a good, solid blocker, and because the Pro Bowl allots for the three tackles there is an opportunity to break through. But Miller is another player for whom individual accolades will follow team success. Two of this year’s selections, Kansas City’s Eric Fisher and Baltimore’s Orlando Brown, anchor innovative, high-powered offenses with MVP quarterbacks, while the third, Houston’s Laremy Tunsil, just signed the largest contract ever for an offensive lineman. Miller’s best chance of earning Pro Bowl consideration would probably come from riding in the wake of an MVP-caliber season by Derek Carr. That’s not terribly likely, but due to Carr’s 2016 campaign we can’t rule it out, either.
Trayvon Mullen, CB
Age: 23
This has been a solid sophomore campaign for Mullen. His 14 pass breakups are good enough to rank him seventh in the NFL and he has allowed quarterbacks to complete just 61.8 percent of passes when targeting him, well below the league average of 65.5 percent. He’s a nice young cover guy. But the competition at his position is very stiff, with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, All-Pro Tre’Davious White and 2020 interceptions leader Xavien Howard taking up three of the four spots. Mullen will have to continue improving by leaps and bounds and wait his turn.
Clelin Ferrell, DE
Age: 23
Ferrell plays the same position and is the same age as Crosby, but his path to the Pro Bowl is much more difficult due to style of play. While Crosby has that bright, shiny sack total next to his name, Ferrell’s contributions are harder to quantify. He’s got just 2.0 sacks and three tackles for loss this season, so he’d have to develop such a strong reputation among players and coaches that it becomes impossible to overlook him when it comes time to vote. No matter how much Pro Football Focus likes him — he came into last week as the 14th-highest graded edge defender — it’s unlikely Ferrell ever makes a Pro Bowl.
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
