What Raiders' Tommy Eichenberg Means For Robert Spillane, LB Room

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg for a reason. The two-time Buckeye captain has the intangibles head coach Antonio Pierce wants in a player.

Eichenberg has the ability to play linebacker at the pro level. He is a downhill thumper against the run and can handle himself in coverage.

What made Eichenberg stand out to the Raiders was his passion to be a true-blue football player.

Eichenberg will join a defensive unit that includes two of the Raiders' most hard-working assets -- defensive end Maxx Crosby and linebacker Robert Spillane -- a pair he feels he could gel with.

"I think that they're really, really tough dudes that love the game of football and play really hard," Eichenberg said. "And that's something that I try to pride myself on, too. And It's something I hope to add to this team."

Eichenberg liked the idea of playing for a former linebacker like Coach Antonio Pierce.

"I'm really excited to learn from [Pierce] and just how he sees the game as a former linebacker and as a great player," Eichenberg said. "How he sees the game and just how he coaches us, too. I can't wait."

Our Hondo Carpenter Sr. discussed what Eichenberg can bring to the Raiders on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Insider" Podcast."

"This is a muddy, bloody, Robert Spillane-2.0 type of player," Carpenter said. "He is just like Decamerion [Richardson] -- he's got that Maxx Crosby mentality. You're going to have to kick him out of the building -- he watches a ton of film, he's tough."

Carpenter likened Eichenberg to Spillane when it came to playing through injury. Last season for the Buckeyes, Eichenberg played in a game with two injured hands and still registered 10 solo tackles.

"He's a tackling machine -- nobody gets away from him," Carpenter said. "Eichenberg was a steal. An absolute steal. You got a stud player whose going to play every special teams unit -- he is going to make plays, and I totally see him being the guy to step in and take Robert Spillane's job whenever Robert's done.

"This is a guy that is all football."

Eichenberg garners comparisons to Spillane.

Last season, Spillane had 96 solo tackles and a 77 grade from Pro Football Focus. He was rated the No. 17 linebacker in the NFL.

If Eichenberg reaches his ceiling, he and Spillane could make one of the best second-level duos in the NFL.

The Raiders believe they stole Eichenberg. It is up to the rookie linebacker to prove it.

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