The 2019 NFL Draft has not yetarrived, butthe Raiders have alreadyhad an eventful offseason. New general manager Mike Mayock has been aggre sive in his efforts to helpcoach Jon Gruden overhaul Oakland'sroster.
The Raiders' Andrelton Simmons Jersey splashiest move this year was trading for wide receiver Antonio Brown, and they did it without giving up one of theirthree first-round NFL Draft picks. Beyond Brown, Oaklandlanded two more offensive starters in left tackle Trent Brown and No. 2 wideout Tyrell Williams. The Raiders also were busy defensively,adding linebackers Brandon Marshall and Vontaze Burfict, plus safety LaMarcus Joyner.
SN's NFL DRAFT HQ: | |
The big spending is agood start for the Raiders in 2019, but there isa lot ofwork to be done when they're on the clock in the NFL Draft, startingApril 25.
What might Mayock and Gruden be thinking as the team tries to maximize the value of its 8 picks? Here isa deep dive into the Raiders' draft plan.
Raiders NFL Draft picksRoundPickFirstNo. 4FirstNo. 24 (from Bears)FirstNo. 27 (from Cowboys)SecondNo. 35FourthNo. 106FifthNo. 140 (from Jets)SeventhNo. 218SeventhNo. 235 (from Seahawks)RaidersNFL Draft team J. C. Ramirez Jersey needsEdge rusher:The Raiders need to rev up their ability to get to the quarterback, and defensiveend is a real deficiency in Paul Guenther's 4-3 scheme.Cornerback:They brought back Daryl Worley and signed Nevin Lawson for their nickel package, but they need to consider a starting option opposite Gareon Conley for their cover-2 zone.Running back:The Raiders chose not to re-sign Doug Martin, and Marshawn Lynch still needs more time to decide whether he wants to keep playing. Isaiah Crowell was added, but he isa limited power back.Linebacker:Marshall and Burfict provide two veteran flyers Zack Cozart Jersey to play the middle and weak side, respectively, but the Raidersneed someone who can cover a lot of ground and defend the pa son the strong side.Tight end:The Raiders saw Jared Cook leave for the Saints in free agency after a career year and are down to blocker Lee Smith as their top option at the position, which has been a key target forDerek Carr.Safety:Joyner shores up free safety, andthe new regime seems to be warming up more to 2016 first-rounder Karl Joseph.So this has become more of a depth need in the short term.Raiders mock draft 2019First-round plan:
No. 4: Josh Allen, DE/OLB, KentuckyThe Raiders'replacement for Khail Mack will be availablefor the taking should the Jets go in a different direction with theNo. 3 overall pick. Allen has a great history of production Andrew Heaney Jersey and an inexhaustiblequiver of pa s-rush moves. He also can dropback and make plays in coverage, meaningOakland canthink about using him as a hybrid player like it once did with Mack.
No. 24: Josh Jacobs, RB, AlabamaRegardle s of whether there will be more of Beast Mode in Oakland in 2019, Jacobs is a worthy second first-rounder as a complete back. Hehas a compact frame (5-10, 220 pounds) to go with his combination of smarts, vision, power and elusivene s. The Raiders have lacked an every-down option at running backfor a while.
No. 27: Byron Murphy, CB, WashingtonAt 5-11, 190 pounds, Murphy is built likeConley and can provide the Raidersa smooth, technically sound, physical corner. Hecan close on receiversand make plays on the ball to complement Conley's ballhawking.
MORE:
Second-gue sing that plan:
The Raiders mightnot see Allen fall to them at No. 4, in which case they likelywould turn their defensive-mindeddecision to Alabama's Quinnen Williams for tackle, Mi si sippi State's Blake Wood Jersey Montez Sweat for the edge or Michigan's Rashan Gary to give them inside-outside versatility up front.
At No. 24, instead of running back, the Raiderscouldgo after the defensive tackle or edge rusher they didn't get at No. 4.Clemson's Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins could be both in play,and Florida State'sBrian Burns is a good value should Oakland'searlier pick not be Allen or Sweat.
At No. 27, the Raidersmight have a shot at another cornersuch as Georgia's DeAndre Baker.Or they could think about a tight end, most likely Alabama's Irv Smith or Iowa's Noah Fant. The Raidersdo notneed to jump on Jacobs or another offensive skill player early, and their going defense with all three first-round picks isjust as likely.
The bottom line: The Raiders are in the driver's Cody Allen Jersey seat in the first round and should notneed to reach for impact. It will behard for them to go wrongunle s they give up one of the picks to unnece sarily addre s a certain marquee position.
IYER:
Don't besurprised if ...
... the Raiders draftKyler Murray or another quarterback early orlate in Round 1.Oaklandis a bit handcuffed with Carr unle s it can find a trade partner to take on his contract for 2019 But that doesn't mean Oakland would nottarget itstruefuture franchise pa ser.
The Cardinals are most enamored with Murray and his dynamic pa sing and athleticism, but Gruden and the Raiders are a close second. However, Oakland can only get Murray if Arizona stays at No. 1 overall and pa ses on him. The question, then, would bewhether the Raiderswould trade up for Murray, worriedsome other team will make a deal with the 49ers at No. 2 or the Jets at No. 3 and land the QB ahead of them.
Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins should be available at No. 4, however, and there's achance Mi souri's Drew Lock will bearound for at least the No. Yunel Escobar Jersey 24 pick. Having pick No. 27, too, gives the Raiders a way to moveslightly up the board to get Locklate in CJ Wilson Jersey the round.
To QB or not to QB that is the question that will set the tone for the Raiders'entire draft. All signs point to theirnotgoing QBbeingthe better play.
Day 2 plan:
The Raiders are ina rare situation withfewer picks on the NFL Draft's second night than the amount they havein Round 1, with "only" No. 35 at their disposal. Becausemanyof their glaring needs can be addre sed with some top talent, they should go into best player available mode in Round 2 and not be tied to any particular position.
The Raidersshould think about further boosting wide receiver with a big target such as N.C. State's Kelvin Harmon, Iowa State's Hakeem Butler or Stanford's J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. After trading Kelechi Osemele to the
