‘That’s what’s up’: Ben Heeney goes for 8 tackles and sack in Raiders debut

In this Aug. 14, 2015, photo, Oakland Raiders inside linebacker Ben Heeney (51) tackles St. Louis Rams running back Trey Watts (42) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game in Oakland, Calif. Linebacker Heeney's exhibition debut for Oakland went so well that he wanted the jersey as a keepsake. The only problem was it's the only game-ready one the Raiders have for the fifth-round pick. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

It wasn’t the regular season, so none of the stats count and everything that transpired will soon only register as footnote-worthy, but former Kansas linebacker Ben Heeney looked like he’ll fit in at the NFL level just fine in his preseason debut Friday night.

Heeney led Oakland with eight tackles in the Raiders’ 18-3 victory over St. Louis, and even picked up a sack by chasing Rams quarterback Case Keenum out of bounds for a short loss early in the second quarter.

“That counted as a sack?” Heeney asked
a reporter [in a story posted on the
Raiders’ website][1].

“That’s what’s up. We were just in man
coverage and I was manned to the
(running back). The back went into the
flat and Keenum kept the ball, and I
just got off my man coverage and
chased him out of bounds. I didn’t
know it was a sack at all, so that’s
what’s up.”

Raiders coach Jack Del Rio left the exhibition impressed with his fifth-round pick from KU. In a CSNBayArea.com report, Del Rio said Heeney flies around at practices the same way he did in his unofficial Oakland opener.

“He’s very, very active. His speed
showed up,” Del Rio said. “I know that
one time the quarterback tried to
break contain and he laid him down for
a sack. That was his speed. That’s one
of the reasons we have him.”

Heeney told CSNBayArea.com’s Scott Bayer hustling and getting dirty is in his football DNA. He just doesn’t know any other way of playing the game.

“That’s what I’ve staked my game on,”
Heeney said.

The rookie from Kansas hoped to take his stained, game-worn jersey home with him after his successful night, but the Raiders’ equipment personnel told him he couldn’t, because that was the only black, No. 51 Heeney jersey they had available at the moment.

“I definitely want to get it back once
they get the next jersey made,” Heeney
said. “I wish they wouldn’t wash it,
but I guess it has to look good for
next game.”

The defensive play-calling and in-game adjustments made his first NFL game feel a lot different than his college days, Heeney said, but he thought he handled it pretty well. Moving forward, the 6-foot linebacker from Hutchinson just wants to make sure he attacks more.

“There were a couple of plays I could
have shot a gap and got a tackle for
loss that I didn’t do, but I think for
the most part I’m happy with my
performance,” Heeney said. “I have a
couple of things I need to clean up.”

Thanks to Naveed Chowdhury of Cover32.com, we can watch every defensive snap Heeney played on Friday night.

Along with his eight tackles and one sack, Heeney read one pass over the middle well enough to either disrupt the intended receiver or deflect the ball (it was hard to tell on the video whether he got a finger on it). It was just another example of how the former KU star can begin making an impact immediately for Oakland this season.

As Heeney posted on Instagram following his first preseason game in silver and black, the NFL is finally a reality for him: “No more dreaming, just living!”

No more dreaming, just living!

A post shared by Ben Heeney (@henbeeney) on