The start of Kolton Miller’s career went as bad as a rookie season could go. The 2018 first-round pick by the Raiders was hampered by injuries in his first season and was one of the worst offensive linemen in the NFL. Despite that, the team trusted him to start at left tackle even though they gave a record-breaking contract to Trent Brown. Miller rewarded the team’s risk and put together a solid campaign in 2019.
He still allowed seven sacks last season, but that was a massive improvement over the 16 he allowed in his rookie season. If Miller could take another leap in 2020, he could turn into one of the best left tackles in the NFL. That’s exactly what the Raiders are expecting from him, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
A lot of Raiders coaches and players think left tackle Kolton Miller is poised for a Pro Bowl season.
Going from that horrific season to the Pro Bowl that quickly would be an incredibly quick turnaround. When the Raiders drafted Miller as early as they did, they didn’t receive good reviews. However, it looks like they might have made the right decision.
Raiders Have a Few Players Poised for 1st Pro Bowl
Miller isn’t the only player who could be heading to his first Pro Bowl in 2020. The Raiders have a few players who could make the big game. The fact that Josh Jacobs didn’t get selected in 2019 was a major snub. If he can stay healthy and put up similar numbers in year two, he’s close to a lock to make the Pro Bowl.
Darren Waller was another huge snub. He was the leading receiver at tight end in the AFC but didn’t get enough votes to get to the Pro Bowl. He could be in for an even bigger season. If that’s the case, there’s no doubt he’ll make it.
Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Maxx Crosby could also make his case that he’s deserving of Pro Bowl honors. He’ll have to improve on his 10 sack season to make that happen, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t be even better in his second year. Johnathan Abram and Nick Kwiatkowski are other names to keep an eye on. Neither player has started a lot of games, but the Raiders are very high on both of them.
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Wild Rodney Hudson Stat Revealed by Analyst
The Raiders only had two players make the Pro Bowl and both were on the offensive line. One of them was Rodney Hudson and it’s pretty shocking that he’s only been to the game three times in his nine-year career. According to Pro Football Focus, Hudson owns the five best pass-blocking seasons over the last decade.
Highest single-season pass-blocking grades for centers since 2010
1. Rodney Hudson, 2019
2. Rodney Hudson, 2017
3. Rodney Hudson, 2018
4. Rodney Hudson, 2015
5. Rodney Hudson, 2016
Since Khalil Mack was traded, Hudson has been the team’s most consistent and best player. He’s possibly the toughest player in the NFL and is one of the Raiders’ strongest leaders. Fortunately, the team gave him a contract extension before last season, so he’ll be sticking around for a while. If he keeps playing at the same pace, he could be destined for the Hall of Fame one day.
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Raiders Predicting 2020 Pro Bowl for Former 1st Rounder, Says Insider