When the Oakland Raiders drafted linebacker Ben Heeney out of Kansas in the 2015 NFL Draft the one thing that everyone knew about him is that he had speed and could get to the ballcarrier. Heeney’s ability to find the ballcarrier and to then finish tackles being the primary reason that the linebacker from the struggling Jayhawks program was drafted in the fifth round.
Since being drafted, Heeney has been groomed to become a linebacker for the future in Oakland. Taking snaps from veteran free agent signing Curtis Lofton as the season progresses with Heeney becoming more aware of the Raiders playbook as well as to the speed of the NFL.