Tommy Eichenberg is Just the LB Addition to Coach Pierce and Coach Graham's Budding Defense

In Antonio Pierce, the Las Vegas Raiders have a former Super Bowl-winning linebacker as their head coach and a defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham, who is connected to the defense well enough to get the best out of nearly every player on the defensive side of the ball for the Raiders. 

After spending their first three picks of the NFL Draft on their offense, the Raiders made a critical and insightful decision in the fifth round to draft a talented linebacker from a prominent college football program. By drafting linebacker Tommy Eichenberg from Ohio State, the Raiders selected a player who has the potential to allow Las Vegas the chance to give linebacker Robert Spillane a few more plays off, extending his career and effectiveness for the Raiders. 

Last season, Spillane played 97% of the team’s defensive snaps, even playing through a broken hand at one point. Eichenberg, who played through two broken hands at one point while at Ohio State, allows the Raiders to take some of the load off Spillane. The veteran linebacker Spillane has proven himself as the team’s unquestioned starting linebacker for this season and possibly beyond. Eichenberg could help the Raiders preserve Spillane's health and the mileage on his body.

Adding Eichenberg gives Coach Pierce a talented linebacker he and Graham can mold into their ideal linebacker. Pierce, an undrafted free agent who became the starting linebacker of a Super Bowl-winning team, now has a young linebacker he gets to work with immediately upon entering the league. Coach Pierce will have the chance to impact Eichenberg and improve his game positively, similar to how he’s helped Spillane and fellow linebackers Divine Deablo and Luke Masterson.

Entering last season, Spillane needed to improve his pass coverage skills. Spillane was able to do so after work with Coach Pierce and Graham. Coach Pierce and Graham have the opportunity to help Eichenberg in the same area. According to Pro Football Focus, Eichenberg was targeted 24 times last season in pass coverage with 18 completed passes. 

During his five seasons at Ohio State, Eichenberg registered over 265 tackles. He had 21 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a touchdown. His time with the Buckeyes more than proved he deserved his shot in the National Football League.

Like Coach Pierce and Spillane, Eichenberg enters the league with much to prove. The Ohio State product is the ideal linebacker to add to a linebacker unit filled with players and coaches with chips on their shoulders.

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