NFL Draft: Raiders Five Best Options With Pick #35
Eric Rowe
Aug 28, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes defensive back Eric Rowe (18) stops Idaho State Bengals wide receiver Broc Malcom (2) from running up the field during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
He’s not a household name, but he very well could be before the season is over…Eric Rowe, DB from Utah, is one of my favorite prospects.
The first thing that stands out about Rowe is his impressive athleticism. He’s one of the most athletic DB’s in the draft, and he’s got great size to boot (6’1, 205).
Because of his size and strength, Rowe is effective at jamming WR’s at the line of scrimmage. He also has sound footwork and when paired with his athleticism, it allows him to mirror WR’s outside of their release.
Rowe is very good in both man coverage and zone, and he has impressive ball skills and awareness. He locates the ball quickly and consistently breaks up passes as a result. He’s also a very good tackler, and he’s versatile enough to play both cornerback and safety.
Rowe needs to improve on his backpedaling technique and even though he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, his recovery speed/acceleration is lacking.
Personally, if the Raiders decide to address the secondary in the second round, I’d take him over Collins.
Here a couple plays of Rowe.
What are you hoping happens at pick #35? Do you want the Raiders to draft one of the players I mentioned, or someone different? Or is a trade down their best option? Let us know what you think.