JBB’s first seven-round Oakland Raiders mock draft of the offseason.
The Oakland Raiders 2016 season ended quite unceremoniously, considering the untimely injury to star quarterback Derek Carr. The MVP candidate’s heroic game-winning performances and leadership masked Oakland’s flaws on both sides of the ball, and the team crumbled without him.
As Oakland prepares to redeem themselves in 2017, it’ll be up to General Manager Reggie Mckenzie to reload the roster and patch up the holes. Free agency will surely help, but as McKenzie has proven with the Raiders, teams are best built through the draft.
Here are seven draft picks that will help Oakland both immediately, and in the long-run.
Round 1 – Jarrad Davis, ILB, Florida
One of the biggest issues of Oakland’s defense are its interior linebackers, starting with former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith’s insufficient coverage abilities, which has placed a target on his back since signing in 2015.
Fellow weakside linebacker Cory James showed flashes in his rookie season, but tapered off midway through the year. The group was led by veteran linebacker Perry Riley Jr., who did a damn good job considering he was thrust in the mix after signing in Week 5.
The Raiders could seek another vet in free agency, but with the 24th overall pick, Jarrad Davis is the way to go.
Davis splashed onto the scene at Florida in his junior season, after dealing with injuries as an underclassmen. Equipped with size, vision and ability to play the run or pass, Davis can help Oakland immediately. Davis possesses unique athleticism, with raw untapped potential.