An in-Depth Look at the Oakland Raiders' Most Intriguing Selection, Max Valles

Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie is no stranger to selecting talent in the later rounds that isn't confined to the practice squad.

In fact, former sixth-round pick Latavius Murray will compete for the starting position this year at running back. Former seventh-round pick Travis Carrie is currently slotted to start at cornerback.

McKenzie may have picked up another prospect in the 2015 draft that will turn heads in a year or two.

Introduction

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Most weren’t aware, but the best pass-rusher on the 2014 Virginia Cavaliers was Raiders’ sixth-round pick Max Valles—not San Francisco 49ers’ third-round pick Eli Harold. Valles led the team with nine sacks and was a force at the line of scrimmage, pulling down 12.5 tackles for a loss. Valles had two years of eligibility left but decided to declare for the draft. Based on his skill set and the need for pass-rushers in the NFL, he could have been a top-50 pick with at least one more year of schooling. 

Nonetheless, he was drafted, and the Raiders are getting the prototypical Leo-type player. What exactly is "Leo"?

According to The Boston Globe’s Ben Zimmer, it’s a modern-day term for a hybrid defensive end/linebacker:

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"Leo" is a relatively new defensive role, a hybrid position that is not quite a defensive end and not quite a linebacker. Befitting its "tweener" status, the name "Leo" contains the "L" of "linebacker" and the "E" of "end." The position has also been called "Elephant," with the "E" and "L" in reverse order.

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Now, let’s see how Leos are applied used in a defense. Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll designates Bruce Irvin as his Leo, via SBnation’s Danny Kelly:

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Consider Carroll's description of the LEO position: "The best pass rusher on the team is usually the defensive end to the open side of the field. That puts him on the quarterback's blind side and makes him a C-gap player in this defense. We often align him wider than this in order to give him a better angle of attack and allow him to play in space. We align him a yard outside of the offensive tackle most of the time. He has to play C gap run support but at the same time he is rushing the passer like it is third and ten. He has to be able to close down however if the tackle blocks down on him."

He has to be one of your best football players. Size does not matter as much. We want an athletic player who can move around.

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You need athleticism, in-game speed, strength and of course some maneuvers to get around those pesky tackles, with their long arms and foot quickness. As a rookie, Irvin managed to record eight sacks without starting a single game. He was a situational pass-rusher that reeked havoc when on the field. Could Valles have a similar effect as a rotational player? Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller gives some insight:

Let’s take it a bit further and examine Valles’ strengths on tape, courtesy of draftbreakdown.com.

Long Arms

Draftbreakdown.com

It’s a simple attribute, but a valuable one when playing closer to the line of scrimmage. As you can see against Pittsburgh, Valles was able to get his arms up and extend quickly to bat down a pass. This will be critical against mobile quarterbacks like Alex Smith who don’t have high trajectories on their throws.

Quickness/Agility 

Draftbreakdown.com

The new generation of pass-rushers is often quick off the edge. Valles, who ran a 4.8 at his pro day, doesn’t have the straight-line speed of a prospect like Vic Beasley. However, he's quick with his movements, and his change of direction off the edge renders him capable of closing in on a QB scrambling for his life.

In the aforementioned Pittsburgh game, Valles quickly closed in on a collapsed pocket, forcing an off-balance throw from the QB.

Athleticism

draftbreakdown.com

This is probably Valles' most important trait as a Leo. You can move him around situationally to mix up coverage and pressure. On this particular play, Valles scored his only touchdown of the season on a pick-six.

Valles showed some field awareness, unrelenting pursuit and athletic ability to pluck the ball out of the air, hold on to it and bring it back to the house. He keeps his eyes open and looks to make plays, whether it’s pressuring the QB; swatting passes; or, on this occasion, looking to score.

Weaknesses

Valles’ football acumen will increase as he sees more playing time, but for now he’s still a raw talent, which is to be expected after only two years of college experience as a tweener. 

There’s one particular area he must improve before seeing the field extensively. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein puts it like this: "[Valles w]on't always pursue the ball carrier with [a] revved motor."

That fault would be linked to desire and not giving up on a play. Valles will quickly learn any given play isn’t over until the whistle blows. 

Finally, he will need to work on countermoves in a league where film study could be your best friend or worst enemy. In Valles’ case, he’ll need to develop some unpredictability in his rush strategies. The key is keeping offensive tackles and tight ends guessing in pass protection. He’ll need to hit the weight room for strength rather than bulk, in order to add to his arsenal of pass-rush moves.

Expectations

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It’s unfair to expect the world of Valles right out of the gate, but there’s a lot of potential. Valles is a long way away from fulfilling the role Irvin occupies with the Seahawks. Nonetheless, Ken Norton Jr., who was Irvin’s linebackers coach when he entered the league, should get him up to speed in due time.

Initially, Mario Edwards Jr. and Justin Tuck will take on the defensive end duties in a 4-3 alignment with Khalil Mack filling in on sub-packages. If the Raiders switch to a 3-4, it should benefit Edwards Jr. tremendously, even if he struggles with his weight. The alignment would also require another linebacker on the field, which depending on the situation, could include a rotational pass-rusher on obvious passing downs.

As a late-round pick, Valles has a low floor and a high ceiling. There's a good chance that he becomes the proverbial diamond in the rough of this draft class. He's a prospect to keep an eye on, after a year of seasoning, for the 2016 season. 

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