The Morning After: Oakland Raiders Options for Round 2

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Rams fan Tyler Funneman (left) and Oakland Raiders fans Anna Cornwell (middle) and Jesse Cornwell cheer at DraftTown in Grant Park before the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Last night, the Raiders front office surprised me and a number of other observers by passing on top-tier defensive line prospect Leonard Williams out of USC and selecting Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper instead at the #4 overall pick. Cooper, widely regarded – and for good reason – as the best wide receiver in the draft, had long been projected as the Raiders pick by numerous analysts, but only because they all had Williams going in the top 3.

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That aside, the Raiders made a great pick, a player who will absolutely transform the Raider passing game and who, combined with Michael Crabtree, James Jones and Rod Streater, helps give the Raiders and their young quarterback one of the most talented receiver corps in the league. And now on to Round 2.

Round 2 has been a big round for finding top talent for the Raiders and a lot of other teams in recent years. Quarterback Derek Carr, ostensibly the Raiders’ franchise passer, was found in the 2nd round last year. Five players from last years’ Pro Bowl were 2nd round selections. Picking 3rd in the round and 35th overall, the Raiders will have their choice of projected first round talents that slipped. Here are a few that make sense for the Raiders:

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