In a recent NFL.com mock scenario, the Las Vegas Raiders are able to successfully plug some holes that are causing concern.
To say the Raiders must nail the 2021 NFL draft is an understatement. The first-round picks under the current Jon Gruden-led brain trust haven’t exactly been home runs. Clelin Ferrell is a solid player but he won’t be winning any All-Pro nods anytime soon and both Henry Ruggs III and Damon Arnette had underwhelming seasons. Nevertheless, not all is lost. ‘Cle’ should thrive under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Likewise, if Arnette’s fully healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t develop into a solid cornerback. Unfortunately, a series of trades and cuts have left the Raiders with several weaknesses on their roster.
While the defensive end position appears to be solidified, the same can’t be said for right tackle and safety. Chad Reuter of NFL Media recently published a four-round mock covering the entire league and proposed a noteworthy scenario for the Raiders.
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Four Round Scenario For The Raiders
Round 1: Christian Darrisaw, OT
Round 2: Jevon Holland, S
Right out of the gate, Reuter has the Raiders taking Christian Darrisaw with the 17th selection. If the Virginia Tech standout does indeed fall to that slot, Las Vegas has to pull the trigger. The 6-foot-5 and 314-pound offensive tackle received excellent Pro Football Focus grades across the board. His 94.5 run-blocking grade should bode well for a Raiders team trying to re-establish their run game dominance.
Round 3: Kelvin Joseph, CB & Dylan Moses, LB
Round 4: Aaron Banks, G
The second-round pick for Gruden is the Oregon safety, Jevon Holland. As of right now, the Raiders have holes in their defensive backfield that need addressing. Picking up Holland will help shore up the safety position but Las Vegas doesn’t stop there. In addition to Holland, the team adds a cornerback in Kelvin Joseph with one of their two third-round picks. Joseph posted solid PFF numbers in coverage, he was graded 70.7 for 2020. Adding Dylan Moses to a young linebacker group consisting of Nicholas Morrow, Cory Littleton, and Nick Kwiatkoski is very interesting. Using a fourth-round selection on a guard also makes sense when you consider Richie Incognito isn’t getting any younger.
This is just one plausible scenario out of a thousand but what are your thoughts, Raider Nation? How do you feel about this haul?
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*Top Photo: Charlie Niebergall/Associated Press