Yet another rough season for the Oakland Raiders. That’s become all too common for this once proud franchise. It’s been lean lately; like Keira Knightley on ephredra lean. If there was a NFL version of the NBA Draft Lottery; the Raiders would be like the Milwaukee Bucks- seemingly there every year.
They’re back at #4 this April, but this time there’s a bright side. They made the right call in hiring Jack Del Rio. It would have been disastrous is they had hired Pat Shurmur.
The latest Raiders draft class last year provided building blocks. Maybe you have the signal caller of the future now in Derek Carr, Maybe? And then you pair him with a wide-out?
Obviously, it’s the most important position in all of sports, but the Oakland Raiders found a couple cornerstones in their starting 22 in the 2014 rookie class. Put another one like that back to back and maybe you have something in 2016. NFL Network Analyst Mike Mayock conducted a media conference call. One topic of discussion was the Oakland Raiders, how the 2014 class panned out, and what they could do in 2015.
Schrager’s Mock Draft: Oakland Raiders, video below:
Here’s what we have the Silver and Black doing in our latest NFL mock draft.
Mayock was really big on Khalil Mack guy, and obviously that worked out.
“I think everybody had to be impressed with the rookie year he had and the way you can build with him as a foundation coming off the edge for years to come,” said Mayock who was also big on Carr.
“I had Derek Carr I think at No. 20 on my top 100, and the further we got into the process the more I liked the kid, and I think he’s a guy you build your offense around.”
“Heath Jackson if I remember correctly was a third-round pick and he was one of those big, square, tough guards that I really like. So I think they did exceptionally well at the top end of the draft last year.”
So what will the Oakland Raiders front office do this year? Go out and get a nice, shiny new wide receiver to pair with Carr?
“I would expect that at No. 4 that’s where they ought to be targeting, I think they’ve got to grind the heck out of Kevin White, Amari Cooper and DeVante Parker. I think Cooper from Alabama has got the highest score. He’s the safest pick of that group,” said Mayock.
“Really good route runner, had over 100 catches last year, reminds me of some of those wide outs that played on the Greatest Show on Turf with Dick Vermeil in St. Louis, Tory Holt,” he continued.
“Kevin White and DeVante Parker, are bigger bodied guys where you can throw it up and they can win jump balls. I would imagine that one of those three guys are going to be their pick, and I think any one of the three could be highly productive.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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