Oakland Raiders 2012 Mock Draft: 7-Round Predictions, Free Agency Edition

The Raiders may not have made a big splash in free agency, but they have been active. General manager Reggie McKenzie has released and signed a number of players to solidify the team's roster. In order to know what McKenzie may do with his picks in the draft, it's important to know what he has done in free agency.

The first thing McKenzie did was make moves in the secondary. Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff return as the starting safeties, but Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson were released. McKenzie needed starting cornerbacks so he signed Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer. The Raiders have plenty of young depth behind the new starters with Chimdi Chekwa, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Bryan McCann and the two ex-Packers Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee.

McKenzie also re-invested in the offensive line as four out of five starters will return. Stefen Wisniewski will shift to center. Cooper Carlisle will move to left guard after being released and re-signed. McKenzie might look for quality depth, but he also has two young players in Joseph Barksdale and Bruce Campbell on the bench.

The release of Kamerion Wimbley opened up the need for an outside linebacker. McKenzie is looking for a starter, but he isn't sure if he can find one in the draft or if he might have to dip his toe into the free agent market once more.

If McKenzie decides he can find the linebacker he needs in the draft it would be easy to assume he'd have to use his first selection to draft the player. The Raiders are expected to receive the highest possible compensatory selection which is the 95th overall pick in 2012.

Depth could be an issue for the Raiders and McKenzie should use what remaining picks he has to find players that can play special teams and depth that the coaching staff can develop. McKenzie might have his eye out for versatile players to slowly begin the transition to the 34 defense.

Third round (compensatory selection)

OLB Demario Davis, Arkansas State

Alternates:

OLB Audie Cole, North Carolina State

OLB Kyle Wilber, Wake Forest

OLB Keenan Robinson, Texas

If the Raiders don't address outside linebacker in free agency, they will have to find a starting one in the draft. There are always plenty of options at linebacker in the middle rounds of the draft and 2012 is no different.

Demario Davis "jumped off the tape" to Wes Bunting and had a nice showing at the Senior Bowl. Davis was also a top producer at the combine and has been rocketing up draft boards. Hopefully he doesn't rocket right past the Raiders pick. 

At very least, Davis will be a stud on special teams in the early going and will eventually take the starting job from a veteran producer that is signed for the short-term.

Fourth round (compensatory selection)

ILB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Alternate: OT Nate Potter, Boise State

Vontaze Burfict is falling down draft boards after a terrible combine performance. Burfict didn't measure well and he didn't make a favorable impression on teams in the meeting room.

Burfict could continue his plunge down the draft boards, but at some point his talent will outweigh the huge risk a team would be taking in drafting Burfict.

Burfict is perfect for the Raiders because he would not start right away. Rolando McClain will be afforded the opportunity to start and develop while the coaching staff could be grooming Burfict to take over in a year or two. 

The Raiders can use Burfict on special teams and as the second ILB when the team goes into a 34 alignment. It's a boom-or-bust type of pick, but McKenzie is not afraid to draft or sign a player with a few rough edges. 

A safer pick might be the tackle out of Boise State. Potter is an agile lineman that could translate very well to the zone blocking system at tackle or guard.

The Raiders re-signed Khalif Barnes because there was a lack of quality options at right tackle available, but McKenzie will be looking for quality depth. Joseph Barksdale and Potter could potentially be starters next season when the contracts of Carlisle and Barnes expire.

Fifth round

C David Molk, Michigan

Alternate: ILB Emmanuel Acho, Texas

Stefen Wisniewski is moving back to center, but McKenzie wouldn't rule out drafting a center and moving Wisniewski back to guard.

"

..if we get another center, like, `we can’t pass on this center,’ then Wiz got to play guard.

"

Molk is the perfect fit in this case and would send Cooper Carlisle to the bench. Finding instant starters in the fifth round is always a plus and it instantly improves the entire offensive line.

Acho is a versatile, instinctive linebacker that can play in the 3-4 or 4-3 defense. He's not great at anything, but he's an intelligent, high-motor player that can play on special teams and provide quality depth. 

Sixth round

DE/OLB Donte Paige-Moss, North Carolina

Paige-Moss production didn't match his hype and he now has an injury concern. However, if he can remain healthy he has a chance to develop into a nice player.

He's a classic boom-or-bust type of pick as he could develop into a starter with the right coaching, but a questionable motor and maturity could land him out of the NFL.