The Oakland Raiders had a rough season in 2018, that isn't a secret. The defense was terrible all year, and in particular, the pass-rush struggled to generate any pressure. The Raiders made bold moves to address the issue this offseason, including drafting Clelin Ferrell fourth overall in April's NFL Draft.

In addition to Ferrell, they also have several returning young players who need to step up. One of those is second-year defensive tackle, Maurice Hurst. Speaking to the media, Hurst made it clear that the unit is taking more pride in their work this season.

“Every single game that we play in, they’re going to mention our pass rush,” said Hurst, who led the Raiders with four sacks last year, per Jimmy Durkin of The Athletic. “We control the narrative for that. Obviously, last year wasn’t good enough and we get all the criticism for it, so there’s a lot of eyes on us to develop and be special this year and just change that narrative and change what they’re saying about and change our attitude and how we’re approaching things.”

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Hurst was an interesting prospect last year. Considered by some analysts to be a first-round talent, he tumbled in the draft due to a heart condition that was discovered after his college career was over. A Michigan product, Hurst fell all the way to the fifth round.

The Raiders' gamble on him appears to have paid off, as he's been able to stay healthy. He was productive as a rookie and started ten games last year. Clearly, he's embracing the grind, and saying all the right things. The Raiders are going to need more guys like him if they want the pass-rush to be turned around in 2019.