Jon Gruden: Raiders defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins candidate for ‘most improved’
Matt Kawahara Aug. 1, 2019 Updated: Aug. 1, 2019 7:39 p.m.
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Jonathan Hankins (90) sacks Philip Rivers (17) in the second half as the Oakland Raiders play the Los Angeles Chargers at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, November 11, 2018.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Defensive tackle
Johnathan Hankins made a big impression on Raiders coaches by reporting to camp a little smaller.
On Tuesday, head coach
Jon Gruden said Hankins “might be the most improved player on our team” from last season.
Hankins, whom the Raiders re-signed to a two-year deal this spring, said his improvement was largely conditioning-related. He said he played last season around 330 pounds and reported to camp this year around 318. It’s not a wide margin but appears to have made a difference.
“Last year, I didn’t have (organized team activities) or training camp,” Hankins said. “So I really just took advantage of that, didn’t really take it for granted and accepted the challenge Gruden and (general manager)
Mike Mayock had for me to come in in better shape.”
Hankins, a 2013 second-round pick by the Giants, was released by the Colts in March 2018 and didn’t sign with the Raiders until Week 2. He started 14 games and played the second-most snaps among their defensive linemen (56%), recording 36 tackles without a sack.
“What I told Hank this spring is, ‘Don’t let people just tell you you’re a big guy, you’re a nose guard. Be a big guy that can move,’” first-year defensive line coach
Brentson Buckner said. “He got himself in physical shape and he’s showing a lot of quickness and explosion.”
Hankins has been working with the first-team base defense and staying on the field in the nickel front.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/raiders...rs-DT-Johnathan-Hankins-an-early-14274439.php