2015 Draft Sleepers Who Would Fit Perfectly with the Oakland Raiders
With less than two weeks to go until the 2015 NFL draft, the top of the Oakland Raiders' draft board has become pretty clear. The Raiders have some glaring needs—wide receiver, guard, defensive end—and they should address those within the first three rounds.
But which players should the team target later in the draft?
Rounds 4-7 (the later rounds) are where front offices really show what they're made of. That's not to say that making picks in rounds 1-3 (the early rounds) is easy, but it's certainly easier.
Contributors can still be found in the later rounds if you know where to look and what to look for. While possible starters are the targets in the earlier rounds, the rest of the draft is for finding role players, reserves and players that can possibly work their way into the starting lineup down the road.
Here's a look at six players that the Raiders should target in rounds 4-7. Each of these players was a solid performer in college and has the potential to be a contributor for Oakland as a rookie.
DE Lynden Trail (Norfolk State)
1 of 6
Projected Round: 4
Lynden Trail is one of the more difficult-to-project prospects in this year's draft. He was originally a member of the Florida Gators, but he left the program following Urban Meyer's departure. He then played at Norfolk State, where he was a solid contributor over his three years at the school.
Trail played outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense in college. However, he proved to be most effective with his hand in the dirt, which is why he projects as a defensive end in a 4-3 defense in the NFL. But even if it is his natural spot, it still means he'll be changing positions. Some growing pains as he learns the position should be expected.
Trail is also a relatively raw prospect. He still has to learn some of the nuances of the game, so he won't be expected to start right away. What he does have is the potential to eventually work his way into the starting role. At 6'7" and 269 pounds, he has good size, and he has the quickness and speed to match.
If Trail had stayed at Florida, he almost certainly would be projected higher. The "small school" stigma has led to his draft stock sliding, which will prove to be a blessing in disguise for the team that ends up taking him. The Raiders can be that team.
Oakland is very weak on the edge defensively, so the team will address the position early. But the team doesn't just need a starter. It also needs depth, which makes a defensive end later in the draft very possible.
The Raiders could provide the ideal situation for the still-learning rookie. Trail can learn from veteran Justin Tuck and eventually become a regular contributor.
DT Christian Covington (Rice)
2 of 6
Projected Round: 4-5
At 6'2" and 289 pounds, Christian Covington is very similar in size to Hall of Famer Warren Sapp. He also shares what was one of Sapp's most effective traits on the field, which is surprising speed and quickness for a man his size. He uses this to quickly attack offensive linemen and get into the backfield.
Before anyone starts yelling, let me make one thing clear: No, I'm not saying that Covington is the next Warren Sapp. What I am saying is that the Canada native is capable of providing an effective pass rush from the defensive tackle position, something that the Raiders are still missing.
In Justin Ellis and Dan Williams, Oakland has solidified its defense against the run up the middle. But while both of these players are stout run defenders, neither has shown to be as effective against the pass. The team needs a pass-rushing defensive tackle to compliment the run-stuffers, and Covington is that kind of defensive tackle.
There are good reasons for Covington's late-round projection. While he was effective in college, he played at Rice, and the competition he faced was not elite. The question is whether he can perform at the same level given the jump in competition.
There's also the matter of his kneecap, which he dislocated just two games into his final season. He had surgery back in November, and the estimate was that it would be a six-month recovery process. It remains to be seen how far along he is in his recovery and when he'll be able to play at full speed again.
It should be noted that prior to the 2014 college season, of which he missed all but the first two games, some projections had Covington going as high as late in the first round. Projections that come about that early are unreliable to say the least, but they do represent impressions that players have made. It's a testament to Covington's true potential.
The Raiders aren't looking for a starter at defensive tackle. In the later rounds, the team will be happy with a complimentary piece who can be effective in certain situations. If he's healthy, Covington is perfect for this role.
WR Stefon Diggs (Maryland)
3 of 6
Projected Round: 5
It seems unlikely that the Raiders make it out of the first two rounds without a wide receiver. But whether they do or not, the team's current group of wide receivers as a whole isn't very convincing. This makes a wide receiver selection later in the draft a very real possibility no matter what happens at the top of the draft.
The Raiders need some playmakers at the position, and they can get that in the fifth round in Maryland's Stefon Diggs.
While Diggs has decent size on paper (6'0", 195 pounds), he looks and plays smaller on the field. He has a slender build, and he isn't the type of wide receiver that's going to physically impose himself. But what he does have is speed, good hands and open-field ability. He's always a threat to make a big play once he gets the ball in his hands.
Diggs also has the added ability to return kicks. His skills as a return man alone would justify a fifth-round selection given Oakland's weak return game.
What Diggs still lacks is discipline. He's a sloppy route-runner, and he still has a tendency to try and just out-talent defenders. That often worked in college, but it won't at the next level. He needs to work on his route-running overall before he can truly exploit his skills in an NFL offense and be depended on on a regular basis.
He's a work in progress, but he has truly impressive talent. Also, a fifth-round pick in need of being coached up isn't a surprise. Oakland can be the team that molds Diggs into the player he can truly be.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
S Anthony Jefferson (UCLA)
4 of 6
Projected Round: 6
Despite the addition of Nate Allen in free agency, the Raiders still went out and signed Green Bay Packers safety Sean Richardson to a $2.55 million offer sheet that the Packers ultimately matched. Now, Oakland is in the mix to sign Stevie Brown. What should be noted is that these possible additions aren't just for depth. These are guys that would be brought to play significant snaps, if not start.
Even with the addition of Allen and the return of Charles Woodson, Oakland clearly isn't satisfied with its current situation at safety. The team is looking for someone to step in and play a major role. Free agency remains a possibility. But perhaps a better option is to look for a solution in the draft, and a great option is UCLA's Anthony Jefferson.
One of the knocks against Jefferson isn't really a knock at all. While he's a safety, he's versatile enough to line up as a cornerback as well. He was asked to play both positions while in college. Some perceive this lack of a dedicated position as a flaw, which has caused his projections to slide.
But this is a bonus as far as Oakland is concerned. He's capable of playing both free and strong safety. And his ability to play cornerback is especially useful for a Raiders team that remains unsettled at the cornerback position.
CBSSports.com also has this to say about Jefferson:
"Team leader who was presented the Kenneth S. Washington Award for Outstanding Senior of the Year at the team's annual banquet. Very hard worker who will go the extra mile. Tempo-setter who gets everyone to work harder and is unselfish.
"
Jefferson is athletic, versatile and a proven leader. The Raiders could take him late in the draft and still expect him to contribute as a rookie.
CB Quandre Diggs (Texas)
5 of 6
Projected Round: 6-7
Are you happy with Oakland's current group of cornerbacks? If you are, you're part of a very small group. In fact, you might actually be alone.
It has to be noted that what's wrong with Oakland's current group of cornerbacks isn't a lack of talent. It's a lack of NFL experience. And until the team figures out the top of the depth chart, reinforcements need to continue to be added. In the draft, a great late-round option, and a true sleeper pick, is the Texas Longhorns' Quandre Diggs.
Diggs has the speed and the strength to play on the outside as well as in the slot. He's also shown great instincts at the position. While he didn't have an interception in his final college season, he did lead his team with 10 passes defended.
So why is Diggs projected to go so late in the draft? Because the current NFL has fallen in love with the idea of big cornerbacks. Diggs picked a bad era to be a 5'9" cornerback.
If you added a couple of inches to Diggs' height, you could easily move him up at least a couple of rounds in the draft. But he's not a couple of inches taller, so he remains a late-round prospect.
The Raiders should take advantage of this NFL fad. While every other team is busy trying (and mostly failing) to find the next Richard Sherman, Oakland can go about adding solid contributors like Diggs. Even if D.J. Hayden and T.J. Carrie, the Raiders' current projected starters, prove to be capable of the responsibility, Diggs would still be a great option in the slot.
Diggs is a player that can contribute right away. That's a great find this late in the draft.
RB Terrell Watson (Azusa Pacific)
6 of 6
Projected Round: 7-Undrafted
The top of Oakland's current running back depth chart consists of Latavius Murray, Roy Helu Jr. and Trent Richardson. Those three names equal lots of potential but little proven production.
Murray showed some very promising signs last season, but he's yet to show that he can be relied upon for 16 games. Richardson has been a bust, and Helu has been more of a pass-catcher than a runner since entering the NFL.
There's enough talent to work with at running back, so this position is certainly not a major need heading into the draft. Still, adding a prospect makes sense given the unreliable nature of the running backs currently on the team, and the Raiders can do that in the seventh round by drafting Terrell Watson.
If you've never heard of Watson (or Azusa Pacific for that matter), you're not alone. Here's what you need to know about the shockingly productive college running back:
- Height: 6'1"
- Weight: 236 pounds
- Finished his four-year college career with 928 carries, 5,947 yards and 78 touchdowns
- Finished his final season with 319 rushes, 2,212 yards and 29 touchdowns (all career highs)
- Never had a season with fewer than 11 rushing touchdowns
- MVP of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl All-Star Game
Playing football in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference against schools like Dixie State, Western Oregon and Simon Fraser University, Watson was clearly a big fish in a very, very small pond. Until he's actually up against NFL talent, there's no way to tell how good he can actually be. Still, the film is impressive. He exhibits speed, strength, agility and quickness.
Taking Watson in the seventh round is a calculated gamble, but that's what the seventh round is for. With how unsettled Oakland is in the backfield, adding a running back with so much potential upside, especially for the low cost of a seventh-round pick, is a good move.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com. Draft projections are taken from CBSSports.com.
Who do you see as a late-round gem? Who do you think the Raiders must target in rounds 4-7? Let me know what you think in the comments section and on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
