Recent History of the 24th Overall Pick

Looking back at the last ten #24 overall selections to see if history could influence who the Oakland Raiders select.

The 2017 draft is going to be unique for Oakland Raiders fans. Not only because the Raiders have not picked this late since 2003, but also because there are so many different ways the team can go with the #24 pick, depending on who is still available when they go on the clock.

Here are the last ten #24 overall picks:

• 2007 – Brandon Meriweather (NE) S
• 2008 – Chris Johnson (TEN) RB
• 2009 – Peria Jerry (ATL) DT
• 2010 – Dez Bryant (DAL) WR
• 2011 – Cameron Jordan (NO) DE
• 2012 – David DeCastro (PIT) G
• 2013 – Bjorn Werner (IND) DE
• 2014 – Darqueze Dennard (CIN) CB
• 2015 – D.J. Humphries (AZ) OT
• 2016 – William Jackson III (CIN) CB

While it would be nice to see the Raiders select the best player available in the first round, they simply just do not have that luxury, considering there are holes to fill on both sides of the ball. As you can see above, some teams have still managed to find good value with the 24th pick. Looking at the last ten picks, I noticed that players from the likes of Brandon Meriweather (Safety), Chris Johnson (RB), Cameron Jordan (DE/DT), D.J. Humphries (OT) and William Jackson III (CB) are all positions that are of need to the Raiders.

In 2007, the safety position was taken with the #24 pick. If you fast forward to 2017, you could make a case for the Raiders taking Obi Melifonwu out of UConn. If anyone peeped my seven-round mock draft, I am clearly a big fan of his.

Obi possesses all of the natural athletic ability in the world, and standing at 6’4″, he would be a player in the secondary that could cover both receivers and tight ends. You could even slide him in the box as a hybrid linebacker and turn him loose against the run. Considering that other safeties such as Jamal Adams and Malik Hooker will most likely be taken, Obi at #24 would be a great pick.

Another position that was taken over the last ten years was running back. Although running back has become a depreciating asset in recent years, the upcoming draft class has some special talents. If you have been paying attention to Raiders Twitter, you will notice that almost everyone is in love with Christian McCaffrey. If you have not already, do yourself a solid and go read our very own editor’s Nick Hjeltness’ breakdown of McCaffrey.

Christian possesses rare ability at both the running and passing game, and it appears that his stock has been dramatically rising. He is a player who could potentially take the Raiders offense to the next level, and would be a welcomed addition. I personally would not be completely fond of McCaffrey with the #24 pick because this class is so stacked at the running back position. You also have to consider that McCaffrey has a similar running style to both Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington. Most would probably prefer a power running back, to change the pace of the running game.

In 2011, the defensive end/tackle position was another position that was taken with the 24th pick. A player that you could find in the bottom half of the first round could be Malik McDowell. While McDowell has a skill-set and potential that is out of this world, he has been labeled as someone with character issues. If anyone remembers, Mario Edwards Jr. had the same label, but has been a model player for the Raiders. Putting McDowell in the same locker room as Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, and Bruce Irvin, I would not be concerned one bit.

Fast forward a few years, you will notice that offensive tackle D.J. Humphries was taken with the #24 pick in 2011. Humphries was a player who was essentially redshirted his rookie year, but then went on to become a full-time starter the following year. While the Raiders had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, they are particularly weak at the right tackle position, and will also need a replacement for when Donald Penn retires at left tackle. A player that could fill that void if available is Cam Robinson. In this scenario, Robinson is a player the Raiders could redshirt, similar to what the Cardinals did with Humphries, and then take over as the left tackle of the future.

Skip ahead a few more years and you will see two cornerbacks were taken in Darqueze Dennard and William Jackson III, in 2014 and 2016. Cornerback is a dire need for the Raiders at the moment. Both Sean Smith and David Amerson had a shaky 2016 season, and could easily be replaced if the Raiders find the right guy in this draft. Since the cornerback position in this class, the Raiders have a few options to pick from. Kevin King, Tre’Davious White, Quincy Wilson, Chidobe Awuzie, Gareon Conley, Marlon Humphrey and Adoree Jackson are all possibilities with the 24th overall pick.

While I was able to find some correlations for the #24 overall pick between what other teams selected, and with what the Raiders current needs are, we have to remember that this is all dependent on who is still available while the Raiders are selecting. Let’s say if a Reuben Foster somehow falls, I would find it hard to believe that Reggie McKenzie would pass on a talent like that.

Must Read: The Raiders Should Not Trade For Richard Sherman

We have seen weirder things happen on draft day, and now with less than a month to go, Raider Nation should be excited to see what this draft class holds.