Las Vegas Raiders safety Johnathan Abram didn’t play much in his rookie season. The former No. 27 overall pick made his professional debut in Week 1 of 2019 but tore his labrum in the effort and missed the remainder of the year. He is back to full health this fall and has made an instant impact on head coach Jon Gruden’s defense. In his second season, the Mississippi State alumnus made 25 tackles in six games and missed two due to COVID-19 protocol.
Abram continued his strong play on Sunday and made a bone-rattling tackle on Los Angeles Chargers running back Joshua Kelley. With a seven-point lead in the second quarter, the Raiders safety recognized a screen out of the backfield and came out of nowhere to bring the ballcarrier down.
Here’s your weekly clip of Johnathan Abram firing down the alley and bringing the lumber at contact. It is impossible to not love this guy. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/RgnC2uetKZ
— Chris Reed (@ChrisReed_NFL) November 8, 2020
Abram comes from off the screen, steps up into the gap, makes a textbook tackle and gets up talking smack. This camera angles locks in on him from the get-go and shows his fantastic play-recognition and the size of the lumber he laid.
Johnathan Abram wasn't having it 😤 @JohnathanAbram1 @Raiders
📺 #LVRvsLAC on FOX pic.twitter.com/L7TU2ctp4t
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 8, 2020
The internet reacted to the hit on Twitter:
No one:
Johnathan Abram: pic.twitter.com/RCDh1bmkF5
— Rick 🅙 (@RaidersLakers) November 8, 2020
When Abram hits somebody💥💥 pic.twitter.com/vk8ANA0Fw0
— The Autumn Wind (@TheAutumnWind80) November 8, 2020
Abram a nut
— Kenny King Jr (@KennyKing_Jr) November 8, 2020
News flash Jonathan Abram hits and he hits hard
— The Real Nation Podcast (@TRNPod) November 8, 2020
For Abram to take the next step in the NFL, he will need to learn how to play coverage defense in addition to snapping necks and cashing checks. With that being said, if all he does is lower the boom for the remainder of his career, that’s pretty fun too.
The Abram giveth, the Abram taketh away
But when he giveth, it’s fun to watch
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) November 8, 2020