There’s no denying that the Las Vegas Raiders need help at wide receiver but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden go all defense in the first round at this year’s NFL draft.
Of course, this scenario will be unpopular with many in Raider Nation, but the fact remains that the defense was putrid at times. The unit still needs lots of talent at key positions and in this scenario, the Raiders address that issue.
#12 Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Let’s face it, the Raiders are still devoid of talent at safety. Lamarcus Joyner was a complete bust as a free agent signing, though Erik Harris did prove to be a nice surprise. Losing Johnathan Abram was huge but having him back next year and be paired with Grant Delpit could certainly shore up the defensive backfield.
Delpit stands at 6-foot-3 coming at 203 pounds, he’s a physical specimen that could make an immediate impact along side Abram. He racked up eight interceptions, 24 pass deflections, and 193 total tackles at LSU. One of his strengths is actually in the pass rushing department, which is something the Raiders are always in need of.
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Despite battling injuries last season, he’s expected to be the first safety off the board so why not to the Silver and Black.
#19 Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
Sorry but the team isn’t taking a linebacker in the first round. It hasn’t happened in years and it probably won’t happen this year either. There’s a good chance many of the elite pass rushers will be off the board by then, so why not continue shoring up the defensive backfield?
Trayvon Mullen was a steal in the 2019 rookie class and the Raiders should continue to build off of that by adding Adebo. With a frame of 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he has the size and frame to go toe to toe with some of the bigger and lengthier receivers in the NFL. Besides having the size and intangibles of speed, athleticism, and intelligence as Jacob Infante of Draft Wire pointed out, he also has numbers to back it up. Eight interceptions, 97 total tackles, and 27 pass deflections in two seasons at Stanford.
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The popular consensus amongst fans is that the Raiders must take a wide receiver and a linebacker in the first round but the defense can’t go without being infused with talent from this draft. Ramble On, Raider Nation.