2019 Oakland Raiders Discussion

Quick Look Back at the 2016 draft and my projections:

Karl Joseph - S, West Virginia
Current Status: ***? (Probable Starter)
Potential: ***** (Pro Bowler)
--Joseph played in 12 games, started 9, and posted an Added Value of 4. He had a fumble recovery, an INT, and 44 tackles. Solid start.

Jihad Ward - DE, Illinois
Current Status: *? (Roster Body, DL depth)
Potential: **** (Adequate Starter)
--He actually started 13 games, appeared in all 16, and posted an Added Value of 5 in the absence of Edwards. He had a fumble recovery and 16 tackles.

Shilique Calhoun – DE/OLB, Michigan State
Current Status: **? (Rotation Pass Rusher)
Potential: **** (Adequate Starter)
--He played in 10 games, didn't start, and ended up with an Added Value of 1 before season ending injury.

Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
Current Status: **? (First Year Starter)
Potential: ****? (Above Average Starter)
--With few reps in preseason and during the season, Cook was asked to do the near impossible. He completed 32 of 66 passes for 311 yards, 2 TDs, and 4 INTs.

DeAndre Washington , RB, Texas Tech University
Current Status: **? (Special Teams/3rd Down Back)
Potential: **** (Adequate Starter/Good Complementary Back)
--Washington posted 467 yards rushing, 115 receiving, and scored 2 TDs. He added 20 yards on a kickoff return in a solid rookie season.

Cory James, OLB, Colorado State
Current Status: *? (Roster Body / Special Teams Player)
Potential: **? (Backup LB)
--James played in all sixteen games, started five of them, and posted a 3 Added Value. He had 31 tackles and forced a fumble.

Vadal Alexander, OG, Louisiana State University
Current Status: ** (Role Player – Line Depth)
Potential: **** (Adequate Starter)
--Had a solid rookie season with 9 games played, 5 games started, and an Added Value of 2. It wasn't always easy, and Alexander was another player asked to fill a tough role.

 

Raiders select OG David Sharpe
6'6 343# Florida
ESPN grade 58
5.68 at NFL.com
Not a good athlete on tests despting being a good high school basketball player, but he's huge. He has all the size the Raiders could want, but everyone calls him "stiff." Mobility a big question, too. Interestingly, he was projected in rounds 2-3, and his NFL comparison is Vadal Alexander.

 

Sharpe played LT at Florida, looks like a really good pass blocker, and he opened some massive holes in the run game.

http://www.patriots.com/video/2017/03/01/college-highlights-david-sharpe-t-florida

 

With the 168th pick, the Raiders select:
Marquel Lee, OLB, Wake Forest
ESPN Grade: 39
Special teamer who could provide depth at LB
He's strong (25 reps) with a decent vertical (31") and long jump (118"). Lacks overall athleticism though - nearly everyone is saying special teams will be his calling - and possibly developing into an MLB.



He does look like he plays pretty fast on tape. 143 career solo tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, and 4 force fumbles.

 

Lee from the highlights looks more of a thumper towards run-d than one that can operate well out in the open.

...at one Raider site, Lee was projected as possible pick and here we are. . What I am seeing is that our defensive personnel will gear towards space eating interior d-linemen to free up our edges and smaller fast flowing LB's to cover as well as clean up. Hybrids in the middle.

There's talk not should have passed on Foster. Then again, speculation he could be Rolando McClain Redux.

 

Raiders trade back to pick up an extra set of 7th rounders. They'll have four picks in the last 40.

 

Raiders Team Needs - Pre-Draft
CB
LB
S
DL
OL

 

I think Oakland has added their CB and Safety. By season's end, both guys should be able to start.

They may have added their LB, DL, and OL, too. I think they're free to draft best available and keep taking some looks at guys who could be stashed and developed over time - guys with high ceilings. That's what the 7th round is for. Right? Jarron Jones is an intriguing high ceiling, low floor guy - another DL.

 

With the 221st pick, the Raiders select:
Shalom Luani, S, Washington State
5'11" 202 pound
42/100 on ESPN.com
NFL training camp, 50/50 shot of making an NFL roster according to NFL.com
Not a good tackler, likely special teams player who could develop into an underneath cover guy. 4.55 40, 12 reps, 31" vertical but huge 11.22 60 yard shuttle.
Totaled 114 solo tackles, 8 INT, 199 return yards, 11 passes defended, 1 FR, 3 FF in two seasons at Washington State.


Warning: language in video

He pops guys, and he's a bit of a ball hawk.

 

With the 231st pick, the Raiders select...
Jylan Ware, OT, Alabama State
6'8" 317#
30/100 Grade on ESPN.com
Needs to add some weight, but he could be a solid OL prospect.

I can't believe he weighs 317# - looks so skinny - but I guess that's because he's 6'8".

Just in the first minute of this tape, he shows good quickness and opens some mammoth holes.

 

With the 242nd pick, the Raiders select Elijah Hood, RB, UNC
5'11" 232 #
37/100 ESPN Rating
4.99 Rating on NFL.com
50/50 Chance of making an NFL Roster
Power Runner, sounds like a solid pass protector. Not good speed. Sounds like a less shifty Olawale.

He looks like he could add even more weight to his frame. Rushed for 2580 yards, 29 TDs in three seasons, and finished with 211 yards on 40 receptions. Averaged 6.0 yards per carry.

More warning on the language.


With the 244th pick, the Raiders select Treyvon Hester, DT, Toledo
6'2" 300#
46/100 ESPN Rating
5.18 Rating on NFL.com
Three technique DL who could become a rotational player, Hester totaled 77 solo and 161 total tackles in four season. He also picked up 32 tackles for loss and 13 sacks along with 4 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, and 4 passes defended.

 

Raiders Team Needs - Pre-Draft
CB - addressed
LB - possibly addressed
S - addressed + insurance
DL - two intriguing prospects
OL - two interesting projects drafted

And a RB - maybe to become a baby beast mode.

 

Checked out the list of undrafted free agents we signed and this one stood out:

Pharaoh Brown, TE, Oregon

He was Mariotta's favorite target in the end zone and I recall watching him make big plays there. Then he suffered a knee injury. Big man that can move...

 

Grading the Draft:
NFL.com: B+
Fox Sports: B
SB Nation: B-
CBS Sports: B-
Sports Illustrated: B-
USA Today: C
Mel Kiper: C
Washington Post: C-
Sporting News: D-

High on potential, but people are seeing many of their players as projects (but good system fits). Throw out the highest and the lowest, and it looks like the consensus is right around a B-. That's okay, and I don't think Oakland fans see a problem with some of these picks others are calling reaches. If the players pan out, awesome; if not, we're in pretty good shape as is.

 

UDFA Signed by Oakland:

Breon Borders - CB - Duke (6', 180#)
5.0 on NFL.com
107 solo tackes, 12 career INTs, 34 passes defended
Doesn't have top end speed for coverage.

Fadol Brown - DL - Ole Miss (6'4" 273)
5.35 on NFL.com
43 solo tackles, 15.5 for loss, 4.0 sacks
Stress fracture in foot potentially a lingering problem.

Pharaoh Brown - TE - Oregon (6'6" 255)
4.96 on NFL.com
33 receptions, 426 yards, and 5 TDs even without Mariotta.
Has a criminal/behavior background nightmare but good strength and instincts as a receiver.


Anthony Cioffi - S - Rutgers (6' 203)
122 solo tackles, 9.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 8 INTs in his career (oh, 13 passes defended).

Keon Hatcher - WR - Arkansas (6'1.5" 212#) - not a good athlete.
5.38 grade on NFL.com
44-743-8 TDs last season, 22.3 yards per kickoff return
Poor showing at combine hurt him - ran a 4.64. Sounds like a fierce competitor.

Rickey Jefferson - DB - LSU (6' 206)
48 solo tackles, 3.0 for loss, 4 INT, 8 passes defended
Looks like had a lower leg injury that forced him to miss half his senior year. Ran a 4.58 after that.

Nicholas Morrow - S - Greenvile (6' 216)
4.52 40, 37" vertical, 23 reps in the bench(!)
43 solo tackles, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery last year.


Ryan Navarro - LS - Oregon State (6'2" 225)

Jordan Simmons - OL - USC (6'5" 335)


Ahmad Thomas - S - Oklahoma (6' 217)
149 solo tackles, 5.0 for loss, 2.5 sacks, 4 INTs, 7 passes defended, and 1 recovery
4.98 on NFL.com
Probable special teamer if he makes it.

Jordan Wade - DT - Oklahoma (6'3 310)
43 solo tackles, 6.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 recovery


Isaac Whitney - WR - USC (6'3 220)
11 career receptions, 144 yards, 2 TDs
36" vertical, 10'6" broad jump, 12 reps, 4.41 40


Ishmael Zamore - WR - Baylor (6'4" 215)
5.42 on NFL.com
63 receptions, 809 yards, 8 TDs last season. 5 kickoff returns for 28.4 yard average as a freshman.Ran a 4.53, 40" vertical, and 4.34 shuttle, with 13 reps.
- he beat his dog with a belt on camera, and that pisses me off. Hopefully, he's a different person now.

 

^Don't like Zamore either (and I'm mostly a cat person)...hard to change behaviors. Pharaoh Brown's past not a good sign though he stated he has cleared whatever incidents during interviews. Morrow, Simmons, Wade for depth. Whitney should have stayed in college with Darnold. Likely for financial reasons...

To hell with the Washington Post and Sporting News! I think we are solid with our first three maybe even four if you include Lee. Not sure about Sharpe.

 

Lee could be the guy, but Heeney should be back, too...