Round 1 – 24th Overall
With the 24th overall selection, there are a few players I was hoping would be available. Reuben Foster would be the dream, but Haason Reddick, Gareon Conley, Obi Melifonwu and Cam Robinson were the more realistic options I had my eye on, and there are several others that would still be great picks otherwise.
The pick: Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State.
This was an incredibly tough decision, as there were many really good players left to choose from. The Raiders are in a fantastic spot to land an impact player, despite having the lowest pick they’ve had in more than a decade. And that’s what Raekwon McMillan is — an impact player.
At 6’2″ 240 pounds, Raekwon has the needed size and athleticism to play inside. He was widely considered a second round option, but that could change following his strong performance at the combine.
First and foremost, he is going to improve the run defense. His ability to read and react is top-notch, and he has sound tackling ability.
https://twitter.com/cover1bills/status/830159078353666048
McMillan isn’t the best coverage linebacker in the draft, but he’s shown plenty of ability in this area. On this play, he does an outstanding job covering a wide receiver 25 yards downfield and breaking up the pass.
https://twitter.com/cover1bills/status/830159078353666048
Other players considered: Dalvin Cook, Ryan Ramczyk, Malik McDowell, Garrett Bolles, Kevin King, Cam Robinson.
This class is ridiculous deep, as has been stated many times by many different analysts. But it keeps being repeated because of how true it is. In this scenario, I would not envy Reggie McKenzie. The decision here would be brutal, and I can’t even imagine what the war room would be like if this much talent is still on the board when the Raiders go on the clock.
Reddick, Conley and Melifonwu were gone, so for me, the choice really came down to Cam Robinson or McMillan. The thinking here is that Raekwon is going to check every single one of McKenzie’s boxes — young (he’s only 20), athletic, productive, experienced and high character.
The Raiders badly need a captain in the middle of their defense, and someone who can anchor the middle for years to come. McMillan can bolster the run defense, help with the coverage woes and get the defense on same page as the trusted quarterback of the defense.
While accomplishing all of those things, Raekwon also offers a ton of upside. Plain and simple, he makes this defense better from day one.
Ideally, a trade down would have perfect. But the problem is, with this much talent still left, why would another team trade up? All of the top QB’s were gone, so more than likely, other GM’s would be content to sit and wait for a guy to fall in their lap.