Oakland Raiders: Updated Draft Big Board After First Wave of Free Agency

Even after an efficient start to free agency, the Oakland Raiders still have a lot of needs on the roster. One area the team is still particularly weak in is playmakers. Fortunately, they have the fourth-overall pick in the draft, which means they can take one of the top prospects at any position.

But the number of options also create a dilemma. With so many options available, what direction should the team go in?

Despite not adding any of the "big names" in free agency, the team is moving in the right direction. The roster now has a solid foundation. The next step is to add playmakers through the draft that will help the team take the next leap forward.

Here's a look at what should be Oakland's big board and what approach the organization should take heading into the draft.

Criteria

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The following is a list of the Raiders' top 10 names on the team's big board heading into the draft. These are players general manager Reggie McKenzie and owner Mark Davis need to prioritize taking with the fourth-overall pick in the draft. There are also a few names the team should consider in the event a trade results in a move to the middle of the first round.

Based on Oakland's roster following free agency, these are the team's biggest needs:

• Wide Receiver—The team has no number one option for Derek Carr. After not addressing this in free agency, McKenzie has to find the answer in the draft.
• Defensive Line—Aside from an aging Justin Tuck, no one on the roster is capable of providing consistent pressure on the edge. This draft is flush with promising defensive ends. McKenzie has to grab at least one of them.
• Secondary—Fact: by NFL standards, Charles Woodson is an old man. It's more than likely 2015 will be his final season, so McKenzie has to start looking for Woodson's permanent replacement now.
• Offensive Line—The Raiders are set for the future at center and left guard. Donald Penn had a solid season, but he's in his 30s, and it remains to be seen how effective Austin Howard will be as he moves back right tackle. The team also doesn't have a right guard. The unit is solid enough for now, but it still needs work.

These team needs will dictate what direction the team goes in in the first round. The Raiders have the option of addressing any one of them by selecting one of the top prospects, if not the top prospect, at any of these positions. The goal, then, is to find a player that can make an impact as soon as he lands in Oakland.

Who's Already out

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Making a selection has a lot to do with a player's sheer talent. But just as important is how well the selected player will fit in, not just on the field but in the locker room as well. Despite being highly regarded prospects, here are a few that don't make the cut because of character concerns or not fitting with the roster's overall direction. 

Randy Gregory (Outside Linebacker)

As impressive of a defensive end as Gregory was in college, his size virtually assures he'll have to switch positions. It's hard to think of a scenario in which a 6'5", 235-pound man is too small for anything, but that's the case when it comes to playing defensive end in the NFL. Gregory projects as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, which leaves him without a position in Oakland's 4-3 defense.

Vic Beasley (Outside Linebacker)

See above.

Beasley is arguably the best 3-4 outside linebacker in the draft. But with Oakland employing a 4-3 defense, he doesn't fit into the team's plans.

Trae Waynes (Cornerback)

Widely considered the draft's best prospect at the position, Waynes fits the new prototype on an NFL cornerback. At 6'0", 186 pounds, he has the size to be physical. He's also fast enough to take on burners on the outside. The problem for Oakland is Waynes represents more of the same. The team is already very young and inexperienced at cornerback. As of now, the top of Oakland's cornerback depth chart is made up of:

• D.J. Hayden—24 years old, third season
• T.J. Carrie—24 years old, second season
• Keith McGill—26 years old, second season

This makes adding a similar player to the mix redundant. The Raiders will look to add depth, but not until later in the draft.

Dorial Green-Beckham (Wide Receiver)

Green-Beckham was dismissed from Missouri—not just the football team, but the entire school—due to his connection with a burglary investigation, which forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. He was also suspended twice prior to that while at Mizzou on drug-related charges. One thing McKenzie and Davis have made clear in free agency is that character matters.

This means, while Green-Beckham is a freakish athlete and arguably the one of the top three prospects at wide receiver, the Raiders won't take a chance on a player with negative history. With how deep this year's wide receiver class is, there's no need to gamble.

10. Brandon Scherff

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McKenzie has quietly put together a very good offensive line in Oakland. The one spot that is yet to be addressed is right guard, and Brandon Scherff would be perfect for the role.

The highest-rated offensive lineman in this year's draft, Scherff actually played left tackle in college. But his size, strength and effectiveness in run blocking make it possible, if not likely, he'll transition to guard in the NFL. Adding him to the offensive line would give Oakland stability and effectiveness from the unit the team hasn't seen since its last Super Bowl run.

Scherff also adds versatility. He might be ideal at guard, but he's just as capable of playing left tackle. Current left tackle Donald Penn will be 32 years old at the start of next season, so the team will be looking to replace him within the next few years. Already having Scherff will mean the incumbent at the position would already be on the roster.

As solid of an addition as Scherff would be, offensive line is not as high a priority as the secondary, wide receiver and defensive end. Because of this, he won't be as strong of a possibility unless Oakland moves back in the first round.

9. Alvin Dupree

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Alvin Dupree is one of the more well-rounded defensive ends available in the draft. He's strong, fast and will lay big hits whenever he gets the chance.

However, while he has the physical tools to be an impact player, he's still learning the position. Despite his size, he can be outmuscled by blockers, and he sometimes negates his own speed and quickness by taking bad angles. He'll need to work on maximizing his physical abilities to be as effective as possible on every down.

Where Dupree does excel is in effort and instinct. He has a nose for the action, and he's relentless in pursuit. If he's able to match those two things to his ability, he could grow from an effective player to one that consistently impacts the outcome of games.

Dupree is something of a project. After playing both defensive end and outside linebacker in college, he's put on 15 pounds to get up to 269. He now has the build of a defensive end, but he's yet to figure out how to consistently make use of his added size.

Still, the ability is there, and he can provide Oakland with effective, game-changing pressure opposite Justin Tuck. And he's only going to get better.

8. Owamagbe Odighizuwa

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On paper, Owamagbe Odighizuwa is a prototypical defensive end. He has ideal size, and he has the strength and speed to match. The biggest question regarding Odighizuwa is his health. Two surgeries, one on each hip, forced him to miss the entire 2013 season.

He returned in 2014 and had an impressive season, totaling 55 tackles and six sacks. He appears to be healthy and back to full strength, but injuries have a bad habit of returning. The Raiders would have to put Odighizuwa through extensive physical testing to ensure he'll be dependable.

The Raiders also have to consider he's coming from playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. A move to defensive end for Odighizuwa would require some time to adjust. Fortunately, he's already shown when he lines up as an end, he has to the power to bull-rush blockers and the speed to beat them inside or outside.

Fourth overall is too high to select him. But if the Raiders trade down to the middle of the first round, Odighizuwa would be an ideal pick as he will fill a huge need on the Oakland roster and is capable of immediately making a big impact.

7. Landon Collins

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Given the learning curve from college to the pros, taking a safety in the first round is always risky. But the Raiders find themselves in a fortunate position. Nate Allen and Charles Woodson are both experienced veterans, which means an incoming rookie safety wouldn't have to take on all of the responsibility right away.

This would provide the perfect learning environment for this year's top safety: Landon Collins. He's a safety in the mold of Woodson in that he's very good near the line. He's a also a proven leader, which would make him ideal for replacing Woodson when the future Hall of Famer retires.

Where Collins still struggles is in pass coverage. He's a good open-field tackler, but he was unreliable in pass coverage in college, and that job will only get more difficult in the NFL. However, he has the physical ability to improve in this area. What he's lacking is coaching and time to learn, two things Oakland can provide.

This position is not the Raiders' biggest immediate need, so Collins is more of trade-down, mid-first-round option. But McKenzie can't continue to ignore Woodson's impending retirement. Adding Collins now would give him an entire season to learn from one of the best before taking over the job full time. 

6. DeVante Parker

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Heading into the draft, the top two spots among wide receivers have been settled. The consensus third wide receiver is DeVante Parker, and the distance between him and the top of the wide receiver class isn't very big.

Parker's biggest issue is his slight frame. He officially weighs in at 209 pounds, but at 6'3, he's too thin. A big part of his first offseason program is going to be adding some bulk, but the Oakland training staff can take care of that.

He also isn't especially fast. He's fast enough, but there were times in college where plays that looked like they should've ended with a touchdown ended with Parker getting caught from behind.

But what Parker does bring is true number one potential. He knows how to get open deep both over the middle and down the sidelines, and he can go up, attack the ball and bring it in. He showed off this deep-threat ability last season when he averaged 19.9 yards per catch. On only 45 catches, he totaled 855 yards.

The Raiders desperately need a true deep threat, a receiver that can consistently stretch the field, get open over the top and make plays. Those happen to be the areas Parker excels in. If the Raiders trade down and are looking for a receiver later in the first round, Parker is the best choice.

5. Shane Ray

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In a class filled with fast, athletic edge-rushers, Shane Ray might be the fastest and most athletic. He's also exceptionally quick, so he's able to both get up the field on the initial rush and chase down a player to make a play.

Ray also has a tenacity and fire that's been missing on the defensive side for Oakland. He doesn't take any plays off, and he plays every down with a sense of urgency that is infectious on the field.

While Ray has all the athleticism a team could want in a defensive end, his technique still leaves a lot to be desired. Too much dependence on his natural ability has stunted his development in this regard. But a defensive-minded head coach like Jack Del Rio would provide the perfect learning environment for Ray.

Like many edge-rushers in this draft, Ray is stuck between being a 4-3 defensive end (which Oakland uses) and 3-4 outside linebacker. But he's athletic enough to contribute from the first day, and the coaches are in place in Oakland to teach him and help him grow as a defensive end.

4. Dante Fowler

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Fowler has prototypical size to play defensive end in the NFL, and he has the power to match. He's also versatile, but that hurts his draft prospects as much as it helps them.

While Fowler has the build of a 4-3 defensive end, some still see him as a better fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He played defensive end, outside linebacker and defensive tackle in college, so he's certainly versatile. But he'll settle into one position in the NFL, and the Raiders have to decide if defensive end is really his best fit.

Given his versatility, he could be seen as tailor-made for a 3-4 defense where there are more options as to where he'll line up. Turning him exclusively into an edge-rusher in a 4-3 defense might ultimately do his productivity more harm than good.

Questions remain as to what his best fit is, but he's a stud no matter how you look at it. Oakland is paper thin at defensive end, and there's no one currently on the roster aside from Justin Tuck that can be depended on to consistently bring pressure off the edge. This means Fowler would fill a gaping hole in the Oakland roster.

The uncertainty of what position Fowler will play in the NFL keeps him from being higher on this list.

3. Amari Cooper

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Amari Cooper finds himself in a strange position. It's almost as if he did too many things right in college. Rather than getting credit for how well he played, questions have come up regarding the level of competition he faced and whether he was just the product of the system he played in and the players around him.

But the tape doesn't lie. Cooper is a crisp route runner. He also has good hands, the ability to make defenders miss in the open field and the speed to create big plays. His versatility would also give the Oakland offense a whole new set of options. He has to ability to line up anywhere and still make plays. Whether he's taking short passes or running deep routes, he's consistently a dangerous weapon.

Cooper's ceiling might not be as high as other receivers in this draft. But he certainly needs to be given credit for his production. He's fast, versatile and the most polished receiver available. Even if he's never great, he'll at least be very good. He's a plug-in-and-play type of player who's ready to be a major contributor on the first day. This is ideal for a team like Oakland in need of immediate results.

2. Kevin White

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The Raiders did nothing to address wide receiver in free agency, arguably the roster's biggest weakness. If McKenzie decides to address this position with the fourth-overall pick, he needs to select the best prospect available: Kevin White.

The argument about who is better, White or Cooper, has been going on since last year. And it won't truly be settled until they've been in the league for at least a few years. But film can show you which player has the highest potential ceiling, and that's White. Cooper is the more polished route runner of the two. But at their best, White is simply better.

White's the bigger and faster one of the two. He's shown a better ability to win the ball in traffic. And while Cooper was moved around the offense to maximize his abilities, White was given true number one responsibilities every down. He accepted the pressure, and he thrived.

The Raiders don't need an offensive weapon. They need a true number one receiver, someone who can take up the responsibility and produce. There's no better option for this job in the upcoming draft than White.

1. Leonard Williams

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While Leonard Williams is capable of playing both defensive tackle and defensive end, his size (6'5", 302 pounds) seems to indicate he'll be a defensive tackle in the NFL. Because Oakland is currently set at defensive tackle with Dan Williams and Justin Ellis, this position isn't the top priority.

But if Williams drops to the Raiders, he's too good to pass up.

This is a best-player-available scenario for Oakland. Defensive tackle is not one of Oakland's biggest needs at this time, but Williams is arguably the single best prospect at any position. He has Ndamukong Suh-like potential. By drafting him, the Raiders would add a disruptive force that's missing from the defense.

It's a bit of a long shot Williams drops out of the top three, but it's more possible than many people think. The top two teams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans) are desperate for a quarterback, so Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota being the top two picks is very possible. And if the Jacksonville Jaguars decide to shore up the offensive line in front of Blake Bortles, which is also a real possibility, Williams will be available.

Williams has incredible size, speed and strength. And while Oakland has Williams and Ellis, neither is on the same level as Leonard Williams at his best. If he does drop to Oakland, he has to be the pick.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com.

Which players do you think should make up the top 10 of Oakland's big board? Who do you have as the must-draft player with the fourth overall pick? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section and on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.