Another cornerback the Raiders should take a look at this April is Greg Stroman of Virginia Tech. Stroman was an impact player on a very good Virginia Tech team last season, and he has the ability to be a reliable option as a return man on special teams as well.
Stroman was a dual-threat quarterback in high school, and has an incredible football IQ. He was also very good in coverage last season for the Hokies, and could give the Raiders the depth at the cornerback position they are so lacking right now.
It is incredible to think that a consensus All-American would fall to the Raiders in the sixth round, but that is where Hercules Mata’afa is slated to go right now. He is a bit undersized for an NFL defensive tackle, but could wind up being a heck of a pass rusher at the next level.
Mata’afa stands at only 6-foot-2, 252 pounds, so his days of clogging up the middle of a defense are likely over. However, the Raiders do need help on the edge, and bringing him in on packages with Mack and Bruce Irvin could be a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses.
The safety position will be an interesting one in Raider Nation this season, and it really all depends on if Obi Melifonwu comes back healthy enough to contribute. The team spent a second-round pick on him last year, but brought in Marcus Gilchrist to start alongside Karl Joseph at safety this season, so he is still a bit of a project.
Late in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Raiders should look to add more talent to the position group. One player to keep an eye on is Tray Matthews, who is smart, great in the locker room, and is one of those safeties who love to come up and help out in the run game.
Not many people know about Fort Hays State, but that is the collegiate home of Nathan Shepherd. Why does that matter? Well, Shepherd is a very athletic defensive tackle, and has the size and strength to be a force at the next level.
The issue with Shepherd is that he is still a project, as he put on about 100 pounds during his time in college. He has the size at 6-foot-5, and 315 pounds to really clog up the middle of the line of scrimmage, and with one of their four sixth-round picks, he could be a late-draft steal for the Raiders.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Oakland Raiders 3-round mock 4.0
Nyles Morgan’s NFL Draft will go one of two ways. Either he will be a late-round pick in the seventh round, or he will be a priority free agent. However, if he is available late in the seventh, he would be a nice fit for the Raiders on defense, and special teams.
Morgan is a great tackler, and he really earned everything he got during his time at Notre Dame. As a special teams player, he could be the kind of player that makes a couple big plays per season, and you always need guys like that on your roster.