"I think we have some hardness to us"

After finishing last year with only 13 bags in total, the Raiders as a whole know that this number needs to increase, and if last year 's efforts were certainly not what Hurst and the defense were looking for, the defensive sports tackle is not afraid. far from owning what they put on the band.

"Every match we play in is going to mention our rush for the passes, and we control the story for that," he said. "Obviously, last year was not good enough and we get all the criticism of it. So we have a lot to do to develop and be specialists here, and just change that story, change what they say about us, and change our attitude about how we approach things. "

And if the results of the work that Hurst and his defensive teammates have not fully recognized until the fall, the key to their development is the conduct of defensive line coach Brentson Buckner.

"We have coach Buck and he has really helped us, helped us grow, and we just need to continue to listen to him," Hurst said. "And I think there will be some very good things that will happen, the guys look really good, and I think we are improving every time we get on the ground."

With the addition of many players on the defensive front – including General Clelin Ferrell's number 4 pick – the Raiders line will be a lot different than it was nine months ago, but Hurst thinks that The injection of new faces will yield positive dividends once the team strikes the regular season.

"I think we'll be really good," he said. "I think we have some hardness to us. I think we have talent we did not have last year. I think it's a very exciting time to be a Raider and an exciting time to continue to grow with these guys. I think the camp is going to be really fun and very competitive, so I'm really excited to see where this team is going and where things will take us this season. "

Hurst will be an integral part of the success of Guenther's defensive unit in 2019 if he is able to make the jump.