Raider Nation has changed plans before — every new coaching staff brings a new identity, a new vocabulary, a new set of promises. Most of them had no special meaning. It’s different, and I mean that in a very specific way.
Clint Kubiak stood on the stage at the NFL Combine on Wednesday and confirmed what many had been speculating since Rob Leonard was hired as defensive coordinator. The Raiders are moving to a 3-4 base defense. Done. Officer. It changes everything from how you evaluate this roster, how you approach free agency, and most importantly for this week, how you look at edge rushers at the Combine.
This is why it matters right now.
In the 3-4, your edge rushers aren’t just pass rushers. They’re outside linebackers who have to break ground against the run, occasionally drop into coverage, and still get after the quarterback. This is a different job description. Max Crosby can do it all, and he’s one of the few players in the league who can really do it. But that man standing in front of him? That room is empty now. Leonard needs a bookend. This week’s combine is where the search begins in earnest.
Here are five edge rushers you should watch at the NFL Combine this week and read ahead of the NFL Draft.
reuben ben jr | miami
Ben is the most physically dominant pass rusher in this class and it’s not particularly close. Thick, powerful, plays with leverage and violent hands, and recorded 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss for a Miami team that went to the national championship game. The knock on that — and scouts have been talking about it this week — is arm’s length. The smaller weapons at 3-4 outside linebacker can cause problems at the point of attack against NFL tackles. See how he measures when the official numbers come out on Thursday. If the weapons are OK, he’s a top-five pick and will be gone before Las Vegas gets a sniff of him. If the numbers raise questions, there is also a scenario where he drops significantly. In a 3-4 scheme that asks its top players to be more than just designated pass rushers, Benn’s run defense is really a selling point. He makes headway better than anyone in this class.
David Bailey | texas tech
The pure speed-to-power combination that Bailey brings is the best in the draft. Fourteen and a half sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss last season. His first step is almost unfair – he’s off the ball before the tackle has even processed the snap. The question scouts are asking isn’t whether he can rush the passer. Obviously, he can. It’s whether he’s a three-down player in the scheme that calls for it. A 3-4 outside linebacker in Leonard’s system, which blends the influences of Brian Flores and Mike McDonald, needs to be reliable against the run before becoming a pass rush weapon. Watch Bailey in one-on-one drills and pay attention to how he uses his hands. Power rushers who can bend and redirect translate better into the 3-4. Bailey could be that guy.
Cassius Howell Texas A&M
Twenty-five sacks and 33 tackles for loss over the past three seasons. This is not a wrong impression. Howell doesn’t get as much attention as Ben and Bailey because he doesn’t fit the prototype (he’s not as big, not as tall), but the production is undeniable and the turn around the corner is legitimate. In a 3-4, a small but explosive outside linebacker who can run from a two-point stance is really valuable. McDonald’s defenses in Baltimore routinely used that type of player. Check out her 40 and explosive numbers. If he runs faster than expected, teams will quickly move him up the board. Raiders executives know the plan. They’ll know exactly what to look for with Howl.
TJ Parker | CLEMSON
2025 was tough for Parker. Clemson’s defense struggled throughout, and their numbers fell short of their excellent 2024 season. Eleven sacks and six forced fumbles in 2024 tells you what the ceiling looks like. The power in his game is real. He plays and performs better than any player in this class, makes hard tackles against the run and has advanced hand usage. For a 3-4 scheme that asks the outside linebackers to be strong on initial downs before running on third down, Parker profiles well. This collaboration is a chance for them to remind people what their 2024 tape looked like. See hand practice and face-to-face practice. Power rushers show themselves there.
Arvel Reese | Ohio State
Daniel Jeremiah has Reese taken third overall in the entire draft class. third. Not third in lead gainers – third overall. Ohio State used him all over the field, off the ball at linebacker, as a rusher, as a spy. That versatility is exactly what Leonard’s hybrid 3-4 is going to demand. He’s fluid, explosive and plays with an instinct you can’t train. The challenge is projection. Because he put in so much work in Columbus, there are real questions about what his NFL role looks like. This week’s combined interview and situation workout will go a long way in answering this. If teams are convinced he can provide real value at 3-4, he may not fall out of the top five. Watch him closely in every practice, not just pass rush practice.
The 3-4 announcement changes the entire calculus for how this Raiders draft class is evaluated. It’s no longer just about finding guys who can rush the pass. Leonard needs athletes who can play the run, hold the point of attack and still be a nightmare for quarterbacks on third down. This week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, that search is officially underway.
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