Oakland Raiders, Week 14: 2018 NFL Mock Draft
By John Buhler
It has been a good 2017 season for the Virginia Cavaliers football team. They made it to their fist bowl game in years under second-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall. He has gotten great play out of his defensive players, including the program’s top prospect in inside linebacker Micah Kiser.
Kiser is 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and is a tackling machine in the middle of this defense for the Hoos. In 46 career games, Kiser has 397 total tackles (188 solo, 209 assists), 33.5 tackles for a loss of yardage, 19.0 quarterback sacks, 12 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and an interception.
In a deep inside linebacker draft class, Kiser will standout in terms of size and overall collegiate production. He and his senior teammates played with a massive chip on their shoulder to get this team to bowl eligibility. Kiser and the Hoos will play the Navy Midshipmen in the Military Bowl this holiday season.
Third Round
The Raiders will need to luck for a running back in either the second or third round this year. Their running back room could luck totally different next season. Though there are a lot of great potential pros at running back in this upcoming draft, one guy whose skill set will certainly translate to the next level is Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel.
Michel is 5-foot-11, 215 pounds. He and fellow senior tailback Nick Chubb were instrumental in helping Georgia win the SEC Championship and reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. In 45 career games, Michel has 565 carries for 3,334 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. As a pass catcher, Michel has 60 grabs for 580 yards and five touchdowns.
Michel would be a tremendously valuable third-round pick for whoever takes him. Though he may never be a bell-cow back in the NFL, his versatility as a running back will make him a fan favorite wherever he lands. Michel would be a perfect complementary back to Marshawn Lynch in 2018 as a rookie. No. 3 Georgia plays the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners in the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff.