Oakland Raiders' Mock Draft: Updated Day 2 Predictions
The Oakland Raiders left their fans super excited or stunned after selecting Amari Cooper as the No. 4 overall pick on Day 1 of the NFL draft.
Leonard Williams was available with Oakland on the clock. He and Cooper have been connected to the Raiders leading up to the draft per Bleacher Report's Matt Miller. I'm sure the debate in the war room was heated, but Cooper was the consensus pick.
The coaching staff may receive more of the credit for the selection, but Reggie McKenzie signed off on it.
According to Mercurynews.com’s Jerry McDonald, the Raiders’ general manager was pleased with the choice:
"The need for a wide receiver even outweighed the love of defense by general manager Reggie McKenzie and Jack Del Rio, as USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams was still on the board and would have been a tempting player to team with last year's top pick Khalil Mack.
McKenzie was pleased that the Raiders' highest-rated player also came in an area where the team needs help.
It's very nice when it goes hand in hand," McKenzie said. "You get a great player and he fits one of the needs. It was great when that fell into place."
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The Raiders’ first selection could be an indication positional need will outweigh the best-player-available approach at the top of the draft.
We’ll examine how selecting Cooper affects the remaining draft selections.
No. 35 Overall Pick (A.J. Cann OG/South Carolina)
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McKenzie will continue to build around his franchise quarterback. After choosing an offensive playmaker, the Raiders add some bulk and athleticism to the offensive line.
A.J. Cann offers a combination of power run-blocking and pass-protection capabilities. He’ll become the final piece to an above-average offense line responsible for keeping Carr off the ground and lanes open for Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson.
Laken Tomlinson was the only guard selected in the first round. Oakland has the third pick on Day 2, and Cann is the best available guard on the board. Secondly, there’s no guarantee Ali Marpet slips into the third round.
Another quality guard should help elevate the rushing attack and transform the offense from one dimensional to multifaceted.
No. 68 Overall Pick (Nate Orchard DE/Utah)
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Oakland should have a fair chance at drafting the speedy edge-rusher out of Utah. Nate Orchard is susceptible to the run, but he has a much-needed skill set as a sack specialist.
Orchard may not be available in the third round. As a result, the Raiders should keep Trey Flowers in mind as a backup plan. Nevertheless, he's the obvious choice if available at No. 68.
Just like Cooper at WR and Cann at OG, defensive end is a positional need. Orchard may get significant time on the field since it’s still unclear how many snaps Khalil Mack plays at DE going forward.
Orchard is a project and isn’t a complete DE, but he should be able to pull off a few sacks in his rookie season.
No. 102 Overall Pick (Ifo Ekpre-Olomu CB/Oregon)
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The fourth-round pick will be the first to deviate from a positional need. A severe knee injury and short stature have really depreciated Ifo Ekpre-Olomu's draft stock.
At 5’9”, 192 pounds, he's projected as a nickel back playing in zone coverage. Olomu is a ball hawk in zone defense. He closes in on passes quickly and has great hands for holding on to interceptions.
If Keith McGill doesn’t pan out, Olomu could provide the threat of turnovers in nickel packages. Despite his below-average height, he plays with tenacity and isn’t afraid to deliver a hit on ball-carriers.
Olomu would be the best player available in the fourth round with the No. 102 pick. Cornerback isn’t Oakland’s strongest position. The Oregon CB could step in and maintain a spot in the starting lineup with his exceptional field awareness.
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No. 140 Overall Pick (Nick O’Leary TE/Florida State)
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Tight ends aren't coming off the board at an alarming rate. No TEs were selected in the first round. The Raiders’ ideal upgrade at the position should be available on Day 3 of the draft.
Nick O’Leary is a solid receiver as well as an in-line blocker. O’Leary will provide the toughness and grit the offensive line needs in blocking schemes. He can also serve as a security blanket in the flat for Carr as a reliable receiver.
Mychal Rivera will likely transition to a rotational TE in passing situations. Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave could also utilize two-tight end sets to add a new wrinkle to the offense.
No. 179 Overall Pick (Josh Harper WR/Fresno State)
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The Raiders should continue to make their QB happy with a familiar face out of Fresno State. Josh Harper had the most productive year of his collegiate career catching passes from Carr in 2013.
Carr and Harper played together for three seasons from 2011-13. Harper became Carr’s best weapon when he retained a spot in the starting lineup as a junior.
The Fresno State receiver ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, but exhibits a heightened game speed when analyzing his tape.
In a deep WR class, the Raiders should pick up playmakers while they’re available on a bargain as late third-day selections. Harper recorded back to back 1,000-plus-receiving-yard seasons in his last two collegiate years.
In 2014, he recorded the second-most receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,097) in the Mountain West Conference.
No. 221 Overall Pick (Zach Vigil ILB/Utah State)
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Zach Vigil should step in 3-4 defensive alignments over Miles Burris immediately. Curtis Lofton is the only natural inside linebacker on the roster.
Vigil is a triple threat at the ILB position capable of stuffing the run, dropping back into coverage and providing moderate QB pressure on blitz schemes. The Utah State ILB will be McKenzie’s under-the-radar pick of the draft from a non-powerhouse school.
Fortunately for Vigil, he’ll have an opportunity to quickly make a name for himself as the primary backup to Lofton. An increased use of 3-4 packages could be used effectively if Vigil excels in limited action.
Advanced statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and sports-reference.com
How do you think Day 2 and Day 3 of NFL draft pan out? Tweet your thoughts to Maurice's Twitter.
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