Te’Von Coney could turn into an absolute steal for the Oakland Raiders
By Brad Weiss
The Oakland Raiders filled a bunch of needs during the 2019 NFL Draft, and once the draft was over, they may have gotten their biggest steal of the weekend.
The Oakland Raiders went into the 2019 NFL Draft with a good plan in place, and they stuck to it, even though it may have not been the most popular choices at times. Still, the brought back an absolute haul of talent, including some national champions, and players who are going to help them right away.
Once the seventh round ended with Mr. Irrelevant, UCLA tight end Caleb Wilson, being selected by the Arizona Cardinals, it was time for general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden to get back on the phone. Immediately after the draft, teams can start to sign undrafted free agents, and based on the Raiders signings, they got some talented players.
Included in those signings was Notre Dame linebacker Te’Von Coney, which came as quite a shock, because I really thought he had been drafted. Truth be told, we had Coney going to the Raiders in a bunch of our pre-draft mocks, so getting him after the draft is steal in itself.
During his time at Notre Dame, Coney was a force in the middle of the Fighting Irish defense, racking up nearly 240 tackles over the past two seasons. Last season, he was a third-team All-American, as he made 123 stops, nine for a loss, and also had four sacks. He even had an interception for good measure.
When it comes to the Raiders roster, the linebacker room is suddenly crowded after the signings of Brandon Marshall and Vontaze Burfict via free agency this offseason. Still, Coney plays the game with incredible passion, and it would not surprise anybody if the made this team out of camp this summer.
dark. Next. Raiders: Updated starters after 2019 NFL Draft
Coney is going to get every opportunity to earn a spot on this roster in 2019, and could end up being someone who gets regular playing time before all is said and done. He had a terrific career for the Fighting Irish, and will be out to prove to the other 31 NFL teams that they messed up in passing on him.