Raiders 2018 NFL Draft: 5 ILBs to target in the first two rounds

The only three-time captain in Iowa history, Josey Jewell is one of the best pure middle linebackers in this draft class. During his time with the Hawkeyes, Jewell established himself as one of the best tacklers in all of college football, and he left the school as arguably the best linebacker to ever wear the uniform.

A former two-star prospect in high school, Jewell had to work for everything he got during his college years. He brings the kind of work ethic that teams crave, and on the Raiders, he would bring his high football IQ to a defense that needs smart linebackers.

Though he only ran a 4.83 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine, Jewell plays a lot faster than that would indicate. In fact, he is very good at tracking running backs from sideline to sideline, and his 11.52 60-yard shuttle was actually the fastest of all linebackers at the Combine.

At 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, Jewell has the size to be a standout player in the middle of the Raiders defense. He is a tackling machine, and was named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year after racking up 132 tackles last season. In fact, Jewell went over 100  tackles in each of the last three seasons.

Not many scouts have a first round grade on him, and he will likely slip to day two. If he is available, he is a nice fit for the Raiders.