When the Oakland Raiders drafted DB Karl Joseph No. 14 overall in 2016, I couldn’t be happier. In my opinion, he’s the best football player in that draft but he was coming off a torn ACL back then. Not only was he a heat seeking missile of a hitter but he was a ballhawk with all kinds of range.
The guy had five interceptions in essentially three games as the was injured early in his fourth game. But unfortunately, he wasn’t all the way back to 100 percent as a rookie, especially mentally. And mentally is where you need it the most because you need to trust that knee to go all out.
Joseph had his moments, showing how much potential he has to improve the Raiders’ secondary. But his rookie year was so-so with 44 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception in nine starts. However, Joseph assured Raider Nation at a post minicamp practice press conference that he is back now.
Joseph said of the difference between last year and now:
“Coming off that injury, I didn’t feel as strong or explosive as I now I could have been. Just going through this offseason working in the weight room and going through OTAs, I feel like a new person. I feel a lot stronger and faster. I’m not timid like I was last year. I was kind of timid planting off that knee and stuff like that.
“Now, it’s just you know, a thing in the back of my mind. I don’t really feel it so now I’m just focused on football instead of the injury and stuff like that.”
Everyone isn’t Adrian Peterson so it generally takes two years to fully get over a torn ACL. So the Raiders didn’t really have what they drafted their 1st-round pick to be in 2016 and they went 12-4. So telling what the Raiders can do with the real Karl Joseph roaming their secondary in 2017.
Raider Nation should be excited!
Just win, baby!
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