Oakland Raiders Mock Draft: Finding Starters in Every Round
After a conservative buyer's approach to free agency, Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie will attempt to fill remaining voids via the draft.
Still, there's a lingering possibility for impactful late additions. At the moment, it's best to move on with who's signed and ready to go for the 2017 season.
In the forefront, the Raiders must address the linebacker position and a leaky defensive line that could use some upgrades. During the NFL owner meetings, head coach Jack Del Rio hinted at adding another piece up front despite his unwavering confidence in Denico Autry, Jihad Ward and Mario Edwards Jr., per San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vic Tafur.
Beyond the front seven, solid competition may unseat incumbent starters. Every general manager aims to draft a player who could immediately or eventually become a starter in the league.
Last year, McKenzie signed several undrafted free agents who contributed as rookies. Over the past few years, he's hit on a prospect gems early, midway and late in the draft.
For each round in the upcoming draft, we'll pinpoint a prospect who's capable of starting as a rookie.
Round 1: Zach Cunningham, OLB, Vanderbilt
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Whether linebacker Zach Cunningham's missed tackles frighten you or not, he should hit the ground running as the Raiders' top draft pick. Right now, Jelani Jenkins holds the starting spot at the position.
The coaching staff will certainly work on Cunningham's tackling technique, but we won’t know about his strides unless he takes the field in a sizable role. The Vanderbilt prospect holds enough value as a coverage linebacker to warrant a spot in the starting lineup.
Linebacker Haason Reddick would serve as an alternative, but Cunningham holds the advantage in experience at the position. He missed tackles but also logged 125—with 16.5 resulting in a loss. It's impossible to find a flawless prospect during the evaluation process. The Vanderbilt product doesn’t project as a transcendent talent, but he's an immediate starter on a linebacker-needy roster.
If Brown decides to sign with the team, the Raiders may opt to draft Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis in this spot as an asset on the inside.
Round 2: Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte
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As mentioned above, Del Rio acknowledged the team may add another interior defensive lineman during the draft. Charlotte defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi excelled as a disruptor in the backfield on the collegiate level. He racked up 49 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks through four seasons.
Ogunjobi may not start in September, but he could supplant Dan Williams or Justin Ellis at defensive tackle midway through the season. Oakland desperately needs a pass-rusher on the interior to add another wrinkle to its front seven.
Ward, last year's second-round pick, experienced his fair share of struggles through his rookie campaign but deserves another season to show improvement.
In a four-man front, Ogunjobi could line up next to Ward. The Charlotte product also sports a bigger body frame with more functional power to handle bigger offensive linemen.
Round 3: Anthony Walker Jr., ILB, Northwestern
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Anthony Walker Jr. projects as a downhill defender who can fill Perry Riley's spot at inside linebacker. Despite a dip in production between his sophomore and junior seasons, Walker brings enough overall success at the position with suitable physical traits to start as a rookie.
It's unfair to expect Walker to pick up where Riley left off, but he's worth a look as a third-rounder with starting potential. After tallying 276 tackles, 38 for a loss and 7.5 sacks at Northwestern, he should be able to translate skill to production on the professional level.
Oakland will likely miss out on Reuben Foster at inside linebacker. Ohio State product Raekwon McMillan has lingering questions concerning his ability to play as a three-down linebacker, per CBS Sports' Rob Rang and Dane Brugler.
Walker would be an ideal choice three rounds into the draft and the right prospect to become a centerpiece of the defense.
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Round 4: Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
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Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins continues to drop in CBS Sports' draft projections. Initially, he started as a potential second-round pick. Now, he's slotted as a late third-round selection or fourth-round pick.
If Watkins remains available during the middle rounds, McKenzie shouldn't waste any time acquiring a player who tallied 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for a loss in 2016.
Similar to Ogunjobi, Watkins would have a decent opportunity to supplant an underperforming defensive tackle. It's also possible for the two rookies to become the teeth of the defensive line.
As a fourth-round pick, training camp would serve more importance to Watkins than Ogunjobi. With Ward, Autry and Edwards still in the mix on the interior, the Clemson product would have to decisively outplay his teammates on the practice field to earn a starting spot.
Round 5: James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
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Running back Jalen Richard should finish the 2017 season as the Raiders' most productive tailback, but James Conner can technically start at running back due to his versatile skill set.
The Pittsburgh tailback can take handoffs on first downs, catch out of the backfield and protect his quarterback. As smaller backs, the coaching staff may be hesitant to trust DeAndre Washington and Richard in pass-protection schemes.
During the NFL owners meetings, McKenzie already hinted at the possibility of adding a bigger back to the mix, per Tafur. The Raiders executive plucked running back Latavius Murray from the sixth-round in 2013. It's possible that he's able to find another starter at the position in the fifth round.
Conner would likely rank last among the three running backs in yards, but he'd challenge for most rushing touchdowns on the roster. Primarily, it's his pass-protection skills that could land him the starter label.
Round 6: Elijah Lee, OLB, Kansas State
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Linebackers Ben Heeney and Neiron Ball started a combined five games during their first seasons. The Raiders coaching staff hasn’t been afraid to play rookies immediately and watch them sink or swim.
At a needy position, Kansas State's Elijah Lee would have the opportunity to start in September. It's likely Cunningham comes off the board before the Raiders' first-round selection.
Though waiting until the sixth round to address a need would cause fans to shout expletives at their TVs, Oakland would stumble across a late-round gem in Lee. According to NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, good coaching could put the Kansas State product in a position to contribute as a starter.
"If a linebacker coach can get him to play with better bend and get the play speed to match the timed speed, Lee could become an eventual starter in the league," said Zierlein.
With standout training camp performances, Lee would put himself in line to start over Jenkins at weak-side linebacker in 2017. Over the past two years, he's racked up 190 tackles, 14 for a loss and five interceptions.
Round 7: Justin Senior, OT, Mississippi State
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The Raiders already have an open competition at right tackle. The front office could add Justin Senior to the mix in order to find a good backup for left tackle Donald Penn or a steady late-season starter on the right side.
At 6'5", 331 pounds, offensive line coach Mike Tice should be able to mold Senior into a perimeter protector who uses strength and his 34" arms to keep pass-rushers away from quarterback Derek Carr.
At a position without a clear-cut starter, Senior could come into training camp and win the job over his competition. According to CSN Bay Area reporter Scott Bair, Del Rio has already pinpointed offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse as the early favorite to win the position, and he's yet to hit the practice field with the team. Clearly, it's a spot up for grabs.
Last year, offensive lineman Vadal Alexander started five games as a rookie out of the seventh round. Ironically, he’d likely pose the toughest challenge to Senior for the right tackle spot.
Round 7: Blake Jarwin, TE, Oklahoma State
McKenzie didn't show much confidence in tight end Clive Walford putting together an impressive third year in the league. Before the Raiders executive publicly admit the Miami product didn't look like the same player from his rookie year, per Tafur, tight end Jared Cook signed a two-year deal with the team.
The Raiders will push for more production from the tight end spot but added a veteran to drive the agenda.
Oklahoma State utilized tight end Blake Jarwin in various ways between receiver and blocking duties. He only finished with 616 receiving yards and five touchdowns during his three-year tenure.
As a focal point in the offense, his numbers should illustrate a better pass-catcher than his previous statistics show at Oklahoma State. If Walford regresses next to Cook, a dynamic tight end like Jarwin could sneak in and steal the starting job over Cook, who's slightly past his prime.
Stats provided by Sports Reference and Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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