The then-Oakland Raiders were able to muster only 13 sacks during the 2018 NFL season, by far the least amount in the NFL. The organization was coming off trading away star edge rusher Khalil Mack, replacing him with the likes of Arden Key, Bruce Irvin, and Frostee Rucker, so a dip in production was expected, but not as much as what happened.
In the 2019 NFL Draft, new general manager Mike Mayock made sure to address this issue, bringing in Clemson star Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick, and Eastern Michigan’s Maxx Crosby, who did not have too much hype, and was selected by the team in the fourth round.