Oakland Raiders: Complete 2015 NFL Draft Wrap-Up and Analysis

The Oakland Raiders' draft was similar to surviving a roller coaster ride after your seatbelt unfastens halfway through the ride. It started off safely. Then it started to get downright scary, and at the end you live to talk about it, but you’re still confused about what exactly happened.

Let me explain.

Reggie McKenzie sided with his coaching staff when both Amari Cooper and Leonard Williams were available with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft—and then he ran the show from that point forward. This draft reeks of high-risk high-reward moves, beginning with the second-round pick.

The enigmatic maneuvering reached a high point on Day 3 when the Raiders traded back twice to increase their pick total to 10 for this year’s draft. That’s not all. The selections then went from puzzling to decent to understandable.

A number of Oakland’s picks weren’t horrible choices, but some players lacked the value at the moment they were chosen.

The Raiders entered with three major needs: wide receiver, guard and a pass-rushing defensive end. The key word in the third need is pass-rushing. Strangely, only one of those needs were properly addressed. Yes, prospects were drafted for the other two needs, but the void remains.

I’ll pinpoint some interesting moments over the course of 10 draft selections, and together we’ll untangle one of the more perplexing draft strategies of the 32 teams.

Selections

Here are the 10 newest Raiders set to join the Silver and Black. As you can see, needs came first for McKenzie. Everything looks normal, right? You have WR, DL, TE and G at the top of the draft, which were the most pressing roster voids to fill. There’s an even five to five balance of offensive and defensive players. There are also three DEs on the list you would assume address Oakland’s anemic pass rush.

Now, let’s look a little deeper.

As mentioned, Cooper was the safe pick. There were some groans from the defense-wins-championships committee about passing on Williams. Overall, Cooper is still a quality pick for developing quarterback Derek Carr.

Second-round pick Mario Edwards Jr. is considered a five-technique DE associated with a 3-4 base defense. In 2014, the Raiders played with three-technique DEs in a 4-3 base defense. This is either a horrible fit or head coach Jack Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. plan to shake things up a bit on defense.

Clive Walford is another safe pick as an upgrade over Mychal Rivera at tight end—nothing odd going on here.

Choosing Jon Feliciano in the fourth round had analysts thinking either they’re really dumb or someone in the Raiders’ war room gulped down a cocktail. NFL.com and CBSSports.com projected Feliciano as a seventh-round pick or an undrafted free agent. The major difference in rounds suggest this was a clear reach.

Fifth-round pick Ben Heeney was another quality choice as to what I initially thought would be a reserve role behind starter Curtis Lofton. However, the current make-up of the roster suggests he could be the second ILB on the field in a 3-4.

The second fifth-round pick came off as McKenzie trolling us all by taking another linebacker, Neiron Ball, but he’s listed as a DE even though he played linebacker at Florida. 

Max Valles in the sixth round was a great selection in this position because he addresses the pass-rushing needs the Raiders should have addressed with the second-round pick.

We all knew McKenzie was going under the radar with at least one of his picks. Anthony Morris out of Tennessee State fits the description. He’s also a versatile utility lineman. 

The Andre Debose pick was baffling, simply because there were better players available in that spot. If McKenzie wanted a kick return specialist, I’m sure there are plenty undrafted free agents that could have fit the bill.

Finally, a defensive back was selected at the very end. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was available, but McKenzie went with a bigger CB in Dexter McDonald. No issues there other than the Raiders could have drafted both players using two out of their three seventh-round picks.

The Best Pick: Amari Cooper

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

The best pick by a landslide was Cooper. No doubt about it. ESPN’s Todd McShay echoes what most analysts have already said about the Alabama receiver: 

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I love the Amari Cooper pick at No. 4 overall. The Raiders had to get help at wide receiver for second-year QB Derek Carr, and Cooper is a true No. 1 wide receiver. He's also pro-ready, as one of the most polished receivers I've evaluated coming out of college the past few years with his route-running savvy, separation skills, top-end speed, run-after-catch ability and ball skills. 

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Cooper is exactly what Carr needs to push his development as a QB. Teams don’t need great WRs to win Super Bowls, but a young QB needs a go-to guy to elevate his game. Let’s be honest, the Raiders aren’t going to compete in Super Bowl 50, so why not help your QB in what’s now a passing league?

The Raiders are still building for the future. Carr and Cooper should be a great tandem for at least the next decade, assuming both remain with the team.

Worst Pick: Jon Feliciano

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Raiders offensive line has Donald Penn, Gabe Jackson, Rodney Hudson and Austin Howard. That’s 80 percent of a solid offensive line, but McKenzie failed to draft a prospect capable of stepping in right away to solidify that fifth spot. I shudder to think Khalif Barnes starts Week 1 of the season, but who else do the Raiders have on the roster?

Feliciano has a great backstory, but he’s not ready for the starting lineup—and he won’t be after training camp and some preseason games.

NFL.com’s draft analysis Lance Zierlein provides some insight on the claim:

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Isn't able to latch onto targets, which hinders his consistency as a run blocker in power. Foot quickness is a weakness, which creates too much lunging and leaning in his game. Feliciano is a competent college guard who appears to be lacking the athleticism and technique to be a full-time NFL starter.

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What Are Experts Saying?

NFL.com’s Bryan Fischer sees the misunderstood artistry of McKenzie’s draft picks:

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Jack Del Rio could have built his defense around Leonard Williams and Khalil Mack, but grabbing the safest player in the draft was a nice way to start things out. Cooper can play inside and outside and gives QB Derek Carr a much needed safety net who will catch everything thrown his way. After nailing their pick with Mack last year, these were not the Raiders we're used to seeing on the first night of the draft. Throw in a top-tier defensive lineman like Edwards, who can play everywhere, plus an athletic tight end like Walford, and GM Reggie McKenzie is stocking the roster with young talent.

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Yes, Edwards does have the ability to be a top-tier DE, but not within a 4-3 alignment. I’ll change my tune if the Raiders convert to a 3-4, but thus far there’s no word on the conversion. The Raiders need an edge-rusher capable of chasing down a quarterback, but instead they drafted a guy who's much better at stopping the run. Good player, but a poor fit.

ESPN reporter Bill Williamson wasn’t too fond of Edwards either:

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Riskiest move: Taking Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards at No. 35. Edwards will likely be a decent player. But the Raiders need immediate help at pass-rusher. They bypassed better pass-rushers in Randy Gregory and Preston Smith to take Edwards. He had eight sacks in three seasons at Florida State. For a team that had 22 sacks last year, the Raiders needed to take a more established pass-rusher. 

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Apparently, Williamson and I are on the same page here. Preston Smith was still available. Trey Flowers could have been selected in the fourth round instead of Feliciano, who would have been available in the sixth or seventh round. Instead, McKenzie allowed his linebacker coach whisper sweet nothings in his ear, skewing the thought process.

To former Florida State assistant coach Sal Sunseri, this pick is on you. Edwards admitted to lapsing in his body conditioning and having a poor mindset leading up to the draft per ESPN’s Jared Shanker:

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Teammates cracked fat jokes, but it didn’t faze Edwards. Even at 300 pounds, he could still do standing back flips. The problem, he said, was he couldn’t sustain his performance all four quarters. His weight caused him to wilt.

“I couldn’t blame anybody but myself,” he said.

The other problem was the hype and publicity, said Edwards’ father, Mario Sr., who has coached his son the last six years -- the last three as Florida State’s director of development.

“I think he had the big head, because all his life he’s been more talented than most guys he faced. Like a lot of kids, he felt like he already arrived,” Mario Sr. said. “Being humbled and not realizing I’m not the big dog on the block anymore, it was the wake-up call he needed.

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It’s possible a good second-round contract will have Edward's full attention and the best talent of the NFL keep him on his toes. He’s susceptible to just going along for the ride and the coaching staff must stay on top of him so he’s on top of his game.

SBnation’s Jason Hirschhorn weighs in on Edwards as well:

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Edwards specializes as a run defender. His strength allows him to anchor at the point of attack and push through multiple blockers. He also has the burst to develop more as a pass rusher. Additionally, Edwards is viewed as scheme flexible. He can line up as an end in 3-4 alignments and play defensive tackle in 4-3 defenses.

But the pass rush issue is the biggest drawback to Edwards as a prospect. While he put up decent numbers at Florida State — eight sacks over his career — his lack of elite explosiveness will likely prove an impediment at the next level. As such, he may be only a one-dimensional player as a pro.

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The common theme isn’t Edwards as horrible pick, but a horrible choice on the Raiders end. He can be a top-tier DE, but as Hirschhorn pointed out, the Raiders needed something specific from the DE they drafted—not just any DE. Edwards doesn’t have what the Raiders lack, an edge-rusher with an arsenal of pass-rushing moves to stymie QBs in rhythm.

What’s Left to Address?

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Guard 

The Raiders still have an issue at guard, which is inexplicable considering all the talent they passed on in the middle of the draft. Feliciano nor Barnes are the answers there. Maybe it’s McKenzie’s first ever draft pick, Tony Bergstrom? Conspiracy? Nope. We won’t go there.

Safety

Charles Woodson is either one year or one injury away from riding off into the sunset. Brandian Ross is still on the roster, but there’s no depth behind Nate Allen. Jonathan Dowling is still a raw talent. Unfortunately, he may never pan out. It’s a small need, but still a need indeed.

Wide Receiver

The Raiders are already starting to address needs immediately after the draft.

According to CSNBayarea.com reporter Scott Bair, Oakland plans to reunite Carr with former Fresno State teammate Josh Harper:

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Chemistry between quarterback and receiver is key. Teammates take time to get in sync, especially with new players meeting for the first time.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr must get know several new faces, including Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.

There is one newbee that won’t have to go through growing pains. That’s Fresno State receiver Josh Harper, who announced that he signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent.

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This is a great post-draft move to bring in a potential slot receiver to complete the WR corps. Harper played his best season with Carr under center in 2013 back at Fresno State. Together the two could potentially reignite an old flame, making Harper a valuable undrafted pick up.

Final Grade

Ben Margot/Associated Press

There were a couple of head-scratchers thrown in from the McKenzie-Del Rio era.

The Edwards pick is still troubling unless the defense converts to a 3-4 base. Drafting a risky scheme fit player in the second round could really hurt the defense in 2015. However, accumulating draft picks late and compiling a total of three DEs allows some margin for error.

Personally, I think sixth-round selection Max Valles becomes that premier pass-rusher the Raiders were looking for entering the draft. A little coaching from Del Rio and Norton Jr. and the sky is the limit for the Virginia defensive lineman.

The Feliciano reach is also bothersome, essentially making two out of the top four picks questionable. Other than those two picks, the Raiders have starting talent, young prospects with decent potential and a seventh-round sleeper pick in Dexter McDonald. I strongly believe McDonald will develop into a big-time starter in the league. 

This year's draft didn't come off as organized or thoroughly planned as 2014, but the Raiders have a few potential players that have the tools to become perennial Pro Bowlers or productive starters.

Overall Draft Grade: B-

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