With the 2017 NFL Draft only weeks away, speculation is flying everywhere on who everyone thinks the Raiders will take with their 24th overall pick in the first round. Not only am I going to add to that speculation but I’m also going to briefly give you some of my thoughts on who I think Oakland should target through the first 5 rounds. Let the games begin!
Round One
CB TreDavious White, LSU
At 5’11” and weighing 192 pounds, White earned First Team All-American honors and was an All-SEC pick. According to Pro-Football-Focus, he only allowed 41.7 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed; an impressive stat!
White was also a 4-year starter at LSU which shows he has plenty of big-game experience. This is a player who can immediately make an impact for Oakland, a team that desperately needs some help in the secondary.
Round Two
LB Jarrad Davis, Florida
The 6’1″, 238-pound linebacker could add much-needed depth and grit to the otherwise vanilla linebacker corps that Oakland possesses.
While listed as an inside linebacker, Davis could easily move outside and with a 40 time of 4.78 he could also be a help in covering tight ends; another weakness that has plagued the Raiders.
While some analysts have Davis going late first round, there’s injury issues during his career could see him fall to the Silver and Black late in the second.
Round Three
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova
In need of a physical freak at DE? Look no further than Tanoh. The 6’7″, 290 pound defensive end is raw; but could be turned into a monster in the NFL. His senior season he tallied 11 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss, impressive stats no matter what level your competition is.
While I’m skeptical that he would still be available so late in the third round, he quite possibly could be the steal of the draft if he were to fall to Oakland. And who better to learn from to improve your skills as a defensive end than from Khalil Mack?
Round Four
RB Jeremy McNichols, Boise State
So the Raiders may not be in need of a running back if Marshawn Lynch is acquired, but since all that’s still up in the air I decided to throw Jeremy in here.
McNichols is a bruiser who runs very well between the tackles. At 5’9″ he would be a stark contrast to Latavius Murray whom Oakland lost during the offseason but would bring a physicality to the run game that has been missing for a while for the Raiders.
Averaging 5.4 yards per carry and racking up nearly 2,200 all-purpose yards and 27 TD’s last season there’s no reason McNichols could follow in the footsteps of two other former Boise Sate RB’s who have translated well into the NFL; Doug Martin and Jay Ajayi.
Round Five
OT Dan Skipper, Arkansas
Dan Skipper stands at 6’10” and weighs in at 309 pounds and would fit in perfectly along the wall that is being created with the Raiders in order to protect Carr and carve out running lanes for the small backs.
Biggest upside is that Arkansas runs an NFL style ground attack making the transition for Skipper into the NFL a smooth one. He has also played at guard and tackle during his career which makes him versatile.
Dan would be an excellent depth player for the Raiders and could be groomed into a starter for the Silver and Black much like they are doing with last years 7th round pick Vadal Alexander.
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