With the Oakland Raiders’ chances of making the playoffs now slim, the attention will soon turn to the NFL draft and whether there will be staff changes, something that might or might not take place.
The Raiders currently sit in third place in the AFC West with a 6-7 record, which can only be deemed as a failure, especially after being regarded as potential Super Bowl contenders.Â
Furthermore, this now begs the question: what do the Raiders need to add to become more relevant and consistent in the 2018 season?
We decided to take a look at some potential gems in the upcoming draft in positions that the Raiders needs to desperately address.
Nick Orr, S, TCU
With the Raiders desperate for help in the secondary, Nick Orr of TCU could be a good pick up in the later rounds who boasts excellent speed and movement.
The 5’10” 187 lb. defensive back has the ability to cover ground quickly and can play two positions although he was mainly deployed at safety in his senior year.
His stats in his senior year were 13 games started 63 tackles overall, 38 solo and 25 assisted, two interceptions for 34 yards and one fumble recovery.
Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado StateÂ
Another position of need is wide receiver. It’s no secret that dropped passes and not enough ammunition has hurt the Raiders offense this season.
Gallup is an explosive, route running receiver who has excelled in his senior year and has turned heads this year. Although there’s still some fine-tuning needed to his blocking game, he’s an excellent prospect.
His ability to locate the ball quickly and turn mediocre looking gains into bigger ones is surely a draw for any team.
Boasting excellent height and size at 6’1″ and weighing in at 200 lbs., Gallup could prove a steal, although most likely another later round pick, he could be of excellent value.
His stats speak for themselves: 12 games with 94 receptions for 1,350 yards notching up seven touchdowns for the year.
Lastly a look at another position of need, which is the edge position. It’s no secret the Raiders have been short of options to back up Khalil Mack, who would reap the rewards of another rushing threat.
Joe Ostman, Edge, Central Michigan
Adding another rushing threat who can also play linebacker could add an extra dimension to the Raiders’ pass rushing game. The ability of Mack is obvious but another threat could really transform the defensive line.
So adding an edge rusher like Joe Ostman who had a decent campaign could be the answer. He’s a big 6’3″250-pound rusher with good potential to improve with the right coaching.
Ostman is most likely going to be around later in rounds five thru seven, which would enable the Raiders to use higher picks for bigger needs and still add valuable talent.
His stats for the year are of good reading, starting nine games recording 54 total tackles, 30 solo and 24 assisted with a loss of 17.5 yards also gaining an impressive 11 sacks as well as three forced fumbles.
It’s safe to say that it is going to be a massive offseason for the Silver and Black. Let’s hope that they come back stronger in 2018.
*All stats are via sports-reference.com.