Expectations weren’t very high for Maxx Crosby when the Las Vegas Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
As an undersized defensive end, there were concerns about Crosby’s ability to maneuver through bigger bodies and get after the quarterback. While he flashed his athleticism and tenacity on the field, the production wasn’t quite matching up.
That all changed in 2022 when Crosby racked up 12.5 sacks to go along with 57 run stops. Crosby explained that he started focusing not just on his technique but the off-field things as well via Ted Nguyen of The Athletic:
“For me, I just got better and better and better because I’m just paying more and more attention to the details. And it’s not just on the field, it’s off the field as well — like my nutrition, my grip strength after every single workout. Like this morning, I did a grip workout and my arms are literally about to fall off my body, but things like that matter in the run game,” Crosby said. “It takes a million practice reps to get one game rep right, so that’s how serious I take it, and that’s something I learned from (former Raiders defensive line coach Rod) Marinelli, who just ran everyday drills that I’m constantly repeating and fine tuning.”
Aside from the physical changes, Crosby also attributed his success to a shift in mindset:
“I pride myself on getting skinny and finishing,” Crosby said. “A lot of times, early in my career, I struggled with trying to get in gaps, but I was kind of hesitant because I knew somebody was coming. (Now) I don’t even think. I’m literally just trying to get as tight to the guy, and I don’t care if someone’s coming back or whatever, I’m just literally knifing through whatever’s in my way to try to be as disruptive as possible.”
Marrying both technique and mentality thrust Crosby into superstar status on the defensive end. His reputation proceeds him as his peers have acknowledged his rise, though he is still not satisfied with where he’s at in his career.
Heading into the 2023 season, Crosby will be counted on to lead a Raiders defense that has shown some improvement but still has some fine-tuning in order to compete with the rest of the AFC West. Crosby is a big piece of the process, but he’ll need some of his teammates to step up if they hope to make some noise.
