Daniel Jeremiah addresses the Raiders defense in first mock of 2019
By Brad Weiss
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his first 2019 NFL mock draft this past week, and had the Raiders focusing on one side of the ball.
The Oakland Raiders have a bunch of holes to fill up and down the roster this offseason, as they have 33 pending free agents, and hold six of the first 100 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. When it comes to the draft, the Raiders brought in an expert to be their general manager, signing former NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock.
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network, has released his first mock draft of 2019, and he had the Oakland Raiders focusing on one side of the ball. That side of the ball is the defense, where he has the team bringing in two players to go along the defensive line, and a cornerback with their third of three first round picks.
With their first pick, No. 4 overall, Jeremiah has the SIlver and Black taking Quinnen Williams, a punishing defensive tackle from Alabama. Williams would slide in along a defensive interior that is very young, and very talented, as the Raiders brought in both Maurice Hurst and PJ Hall via the 2018 NFL Draft.
At pick No. 24, the selection they got from the Chicago Bears, Jeremiah likes the team to stay along the defensive line, bringing in Lousiana Tech defensive end Jaylon Ferguson. Finally, with pick No. 27, Trayvon Mullen from Clemson will round out the trio, after starring as a cornerback for national champion Clemson this past fall.
Next. Oakland Raiders: 8 Underrated Draft Prospects. dark
Jeremiah’s first round is very defensive end heavy to start, as the Arizona Cardinals (Nick Bosa), San Francisco 49ers (Rashan Gary), and New York Jets (Josh Allen) kick off the festivities by all selecting edge rushers. The Raiders have a serious need for an edge rusher as well, as Arden Key played well as a rookie, but the team needs to add to a group that was historically bad at getting after the quarterback last season.