Raiders sign seventh-round pick Jylan Ware

The Oakland Raiders have signed one of their four seventh-round draft selections, former Alabama State offensive tackle Jylan Ware.

Reggie McKenzie got busy on Friday, per usual, signing several of the team’s draft picks. Per an official announcement by the Oakland Raiders, they signed their second draft pick of the offseason, seventh-round pick and former Alabama State offensive tackle Jylan Ware.

Ware was one of the team’s four seventh-round selections — the second one, to be specific — after McKenzie traded out of the sixth round to pickup two seventh round picks in exchange. He already had two picks in the round, thanks to a trade of Dewey McDonald to the Seattle Seahawks in 2016.

The team had previously announced the signing of fellow seventh-round pick and former North Carolina running back Elijah Hood, so Ware is the second draft pick to sign their contract.

Ware was selected with one of the picks acquired in the trade down with the Arizona Cardinals. He was the 13th pick in the round and the 231st overall selection.

McKenzie double-dipped at a handful of positions in the draft, and offensive tackle was one of them. Having selected former Florida offensive tackle David Sharpe in the fourth round, Ware was the second tackle the team picked. Ware wasn’t a well-known prospect, but he possesses quite a bit of athleticism, which is a nice find for a late-round pick.

Ware is the ideal type of player to take a flier on with a late round pick. Especially on the offensive line with arguably the best offensive line coach in the league on the staff in Mike Tice. If anyone can tap into the potential that Ware has within his athletic 6’8″ 295 pound frame, it’s Tice.

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With the clock on Donald Penn’s playing career ticking, even though he is still playing at an elite level, the team needs to start grooming a left tackle of the future. Ware will have big shoes to fill and a long way to go to get there, but he’s an intriguing player with upside to be optimistic about his chances.