Oakland Raiders could be potential Jaylon Smith landing spot

The Oakland Raiders could be a potential landing spot for Jaylon Smith according to Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller.

Drafting 14th in the 2016 NFL Draft, it is expected that the Oakland Raiders will have a tougher time hitting a home run in the first round than in recent years were things have been great to the Silver and Black. Khalil Mack (fifth overall, 2014) and Amari Cooper (fourth overall, 2015) both being instant impacts out of the first round with the Raiders.

Now drafting in the middle of the pack after a 7-9 season, general manager Reggie McKenzie is going to have to get creative if he wants to find another elite first-round rookie out of the 2016 draft class. Something that may force McKenzie to take a risk to get value when the Raiders are on the clock this spring.

A player with high upside who could be available to the Raiders with the 14th pick is Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, a player who Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller felt was the number two prospect in the 2016 draft class and after tearing his ACL in the Fiesta Bowl could drop to Oakland.

Miller listed the Raiders as one of three landing spots for Smith, who Miller believes should recover from his injury and become a top player in the NFL.

McKenzie has shown that he will take a risk on a player with injury history in the first round, taking DJ Hayden in the middle picks of the 2013 NFL Draft despite the cornerback suffering a season-ending injury in his final here at Houston. Smith’s ACL tear is a concern, but as one of the top prospects in the class before tearing his ACL there will be value for any team willing to take the risk to get a potentially special talent in the Fighting Irish linebacker.