It’s obviously way too early to jump to major conclusions, but for now rookie linebacker Rolando McClain is certainly impressing folks:
What the Raiders have is a 6-foot-3, 255-pound linebacker who studies the playbook like a quarterback, knows the defense like a seasoned veteran and takes charge of the defense.
“It’s a little bit of (he) gets it,” coach Tom Cable said. “He does study, but he has a great feel for his depth and where he needs to be. He’s a good communicator; he kind of sees where the play starts and kind of gets himself in a position where he can have the depth to get underneath those balls. That interception was a heck of a play.”
As I’m traditionally a 49ers fan, I’m curious what people think about McClain and the impact they’re expecting year 1. My standard-bearer is of course Patrick Willis who, in his rookie season, set the record for most tackles ever in a single season (since they’ve started recording the stat). It’s hard to say McClain will look like Willis right out of the gates, but are Raiders fans expecting such an immediate impact? It sounds like that would be the case given the trade of Morrison.