Heading into a pivotal draft today, the Las Vegas Raiders are sure to have many options available to them when they pick. Narrowing down these options is a tough task with over half the league selecting before them. Nevertheless, Mike Mayock must push the right buttons as his job could depend on it.
1) Take the best offensive tackle available
After trading right tackle Trent Brown, the Raiders badly need a replacement option. Luckily for them, there will be several enticing options available. Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater will be gone early. However, Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw would be a home run if he is still available at 17. In the event that Darrisaw is gone, look for Las Vegas to show interest in both Teven Jenkins and Samuel Cosmi. The Texas standout would be a solid addition due to his size and athleticism.
2) The Raiders are likely to love Christian Barmore
Reports have surfaced over the last several weeks that the NFL is high on Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore, the Raiders are an easy connection to make. After releasing fellow defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, the Silver and Black have a use for him as well.
While Barmore may be a reach at this point in the first round, Las Vegas has made it abundantly clear they will take who they want, whenever they want. The Las Vegas’ brass also has an infatuation with Alabama players after taking Henry Ruggs and Josh Jacobs in previous years.
3) Addressing the safety position
In a draft shallow on first-round safety talent, the Raiders could choose to grab the best of the bunch. TCU’s Trevon Moehrig is the cream of the crop. In Moehrig, they would be getting a versatile player who could not only cover slot receivers but also act as a single high in Gus Bradley’s defense. However, this is another spot where the team’s brass would likely be better off trading back and still securing their guy.
4) Finding a partner to trade back
In what is likely the best option for the Raiders, Mayock and co. should attempt to find a trade partner. Simply, there isn’t a lot of value in the middle of the draft at positions Las Vegas needs. They would be much better served to add some capital on day two from a team targeting an offensive weapon.
To put it mildly, the Raiders will have plenty of options at their disposal come Thursday night. This versatility in the draft’s most important night will be one of the interesting storylines to monitor. One thing is for sure, this Las Vegas team will be sure to cause some controversy one way or another.
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