2019 NFL Draft: Nasir Adderley could be in play for the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders need help at the safety position heading into 2019, and Delaware’s Nasir Adderley could be a target for them in the NFL Draft.

During the 2018 NFL season, the Oakland Raiders got a tremendous effort from two of their safeties. Erik Harris earned himself a spot on the team in the summer, and proceeded to prove he is certainly an NFL player. In addition, Karl Joseph stepped up big-time, looking like the first round pick the team drafted back in 2016.

Heading into the offseason, Harris is going to be a restricted free agent, and you have to think he will be back in the Silver and Black. If Joseph takes another step forward, he could turn into one of the better safeties in the division, giving the team a building block to grow this secondary on.

While those two players will definitely be a part of the group at the safety position next season, that does not mean the team should ignore it this offseason. Marcus Gilchrist was brought in on a one-year deal last season, and is likely gone, so Oakland may decide to roll the dice with utilizing one of their three first round picks in April’s NFL Draft on the position.

Enter Nasir Adderley, who has all the markings of being a player who should hear his named called in the first round this April. Adderley really made a name for himself during the Senior Bowl actitivies, and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden had an up close and personal look at the safety from the University of Delaware.

Delaware is by no means a football powerhouse, but after spending his first two years of college ball at cornerback, Adderley has turned himself into one of the better safety prospects in this draft class. The Raiders have a need, and late in the first round, they could end up selecting a player who could be a starter in year one.

The entire Raiders secondary needs to add depth this offseason, but at least they have leaders now in cornerback Gareon Conley and Joseph. Oakland has a real opportunity to turn their roster upside down over the next couple of months, and a guy like Adderley could really bolster the safety position group moving forward.