Oakland Raiders 2018 NFL Draft: 5 edge players to target
By John Buhler
For where the Raiders would likely consider going with an edge player, the guy that makes the most sense for them in that regard would be 2017 Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in the Oklahoma Sooners’ Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. While some might question just how good of a player he was playing in the Big 12, he was the heart of the Sooners defense the last two years.
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Okoronkwo was part of three Big 12 Championship teams in Oklahoma. Two of those teams went to the College Football Playoff. Even though the Sooners don’t have a national title to show for it during the Baker Mayfield era, Okoronkwo has played in a bunch of high stakes games during his time in Norman.
In four years with the Sooners, Okoronkwo amassed 162 career tackles (105 solo, 57 assists), 33.0 for a loss of yardage, 20.0 quarterback sacks, five forced fumbles, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. While he might get dinged a bit in the draft process for being just 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, Okoronkwo’s motor could make him a high-end player at the next level.
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His size could give him a leg up depending on scheme, as he could play both outside and inside linebacker. He has anywhere from a second to fifth-round grade. Okoronkwo would be worth the Raiders’ second-round pick. If he falls further in the draft, he’d be potentially a mid-round steal for the Silver and Black coming off the edge in Paul Guenther’s defense.