Oakland Raiders 2018 NFL Draft: 5 edge players to target
By John Buhler
Though the strength of the Oakland Raiders‘ defense has been the pass rush for the last few years, it did evaporate at times during the rough 2017 NFL season for the Silver and Black. Though defensive leader in defensive end Khalil Mack had over 10 quarterback sacks and made it to a Pro Bowl, his role did change in some capacity under former defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. He was asked to play the run a bit more than he did in his first three years in the league.
Frankly, Mack’s pass-rushing partner in outside linebacker Bruce Irvin didn’t really take off in 2017 until after Norton was fired. Both Mack and Irvin really got after the quarterback in the final third of the season under former interim defensive coordinator John Pagano. Even guys like defensive ends Denico Autry and Jihad Ward would get in on the sack part from time to time.
However, Autry is a free agent and Ward hasn’t exactly marveled in his first two seasons out of Illinois with the Raiders. Though an edge player isn’t a primary need for the Raiders, it would be wise for them to use one of their three top-100 picks on a guy that can get after the quarterback. Simply put, you can never have too many pass rushers.
Fortunately for the Raiders, the 2018 NFL Draft looks to be absolutely loaded with many talented edge players. Expect the Raiders to use either a second or third-round pick on a pass rusher. If a star edge player falls to them at No. 9 or 10, it might be hard to pass up a guy that caliber in the first round. Here are five pass rushers that could have the Raiders’ intrigue heading into the draft.
The on-field talent is all there with LSU Tigers edge player Arden Key. On paper, he should go inside the top-10 or top-15, no doubt. Honestly, he probably will, as what NFL team wouldn’t want a 6-foot-6, 265 pass-rushing freak on its football team? Key could be in play for the Raiders at No. 9 or 10, but they should proceed with caution in drafting this kid.
Off-the-field issues got in the way of Key tapping into his potential at LSU. While he had 129 total tackles (58 solo, 71 assists), 24.5 for a loss of yardage and 20.0 quarterback sacks, Key only played 31 games for the Bayou Bengals. He didn’t participate in team activities last spring, as it was questionable if he was going to return to the team.
In short, Key is one of the players that will certainly fall because of off-the-field issues. However, his talent may be too obvious for the Raiders to pass up. If he drops to the top of the second round, maybe he’s worth the selection? At No. 9 or No. 10, that’s a bit too risky of a selection for a team in dire need to get better defensively like Oakland.
How Key conducts himself in the draft process will go a long way in if he is worth being a top-15 pick in the upcoming draft. He could be a superstar edge player for a team like the Raiders or he could end up being the next Aldon Smith. Hopefully the Raiders fully vet this kid before making a decision at No. 9 or No. 10. As a second-round pick, it might be more worth the risk.