The Raiders kicked off their 2018 season by making some interesting moves on draft day. But never fear, the future is bright in Oakland, and here’s why.
I’ll address the elephant in the room right off the bat. I know, the Raiders took Kolton Miller, how could I possibly think positively about this pick? I’m aware that Miller may not have been the sexiest pick at No. 15 overall. Trust me, I tweeted it several times that I didn’t want the Raiders to take Miller. But now that it has happened, and I have had time to process the selection, I’ve changed my mind.
Thinking about it on a very surface level is underwhelming. The Raiders took a tackle, that had a second round according to some experts, in the first 15 picks. But if you change the perspective a little bit, this pick makes a ton of sense. Answer honestly, are you comfortable with a 35-year-old Donald Penn and Breno Giacomini (who is on a one-year deal) holding down the tackle positions for the foreseeable future?
If you said yes, you are beyond reasoning with. The Raiders need their tackle of the future. I think this move proves that they were going to take Mike McGlinchey if San Francisco hadn’t have taken him at ninth overall. So to add a third round pick, which provided the opportunity to trade for Martavis Bryant (which is a whole different discussion), and still get a top three tackle, things could be worse.
Miller is nearly 6-foot-9 and 309 pounds, a physical specimen. There is no argument about his physical traits, he has all the tools necessary to be a solid tackle in the NFL. The question marks arise regarding his technique and durability. Miller struggled with a foot injury in his sophomore season, but rebounded well.
Technique is also something that can be coached or worked on at the highest level. His athleticism is above average and if the Raider’s coaching staff can shore up a few issues, Miller could become the starting right tackle with relative ease. He could also be a shoe-in to replace Donald Penn when he decides to hang up his cleats.
To summarize, I don’t love the pick, don’t get me wrong. However, I have warmed up to the idea and have faith that the front office knows something that we don’t. I have tempered expectations for Miller, but I think he will be an instant starter.
Now to address the issue that many Raider fans have, why did the Raiders ignore the defensive issues they have? To be honest, I really don’t know. With Minkah Fitzpatrick on the board at 10, and then Derwin James and Tremaine Edmunds on the board at 15, I really expected the team to take one of them.
But as things turned out, the Raiders are in pretty good position for Round 2. They hold the No. 9 pick in the second round, No. 41 overall. With prospects like Josh Jackson, Harold Landry, and Malik Jefferson dropping, Oakland has a good chance of landing an impact defensive player. Also, Derrius Guice and Nick Chubb are interesting offensive choices the Raiders could look at should they fall to No. 41.
In my opinion, I would want the Raiders to take Maurice Hurst if he is still available. Hurst has top-ten talent, but has dropped down team’s boards due to a heart issue. He has since been cleared, but teams are still taking caution when it comes to the defensive linemen out of Michigan.
Hurst would solve a huge problem in Oakland by shoring up the lack of interior pass rush that has plagued the Raiders for the last few seasons. Pairing Hurst with Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin would be ideal, undoubtedly.
Regardless, it is likely the Raiders will be able to pick up a starting-caliber defensive player with their second round pick. Whether it is Hurst, Jefferson, Landry, or even Jackson, the Raiders will have a starter. And do not forget that new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is a genius in comparison to some of the previous defensive-coordinators in Oakland. He will turn the Raider’s defense around, and it may begin with the team’s second round pick.
Basically, the point is… drafting Miller is not the end of the world. The team still has the opportunity to pick up a talented defensive player in the second round, and they added talented but troubled receiver, Martavis Bryant. The coaching staff, led by Jon Gruden, and General Manager Reggie McKenzie know what they want. If that player is Kolton Miller, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and see how it works out. Put the pitchforks away and take a sip of your favorite drink, the future is bright Raider fans.