Oakland Raiders 2017 NFL Draft produced Conley, Lee and little else

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GLENDALE, AZ – AUGUST 12: Linebacker Marquel Lee No. 55 of the Oakland Raiders during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on August 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Marquel Lee

In the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected linebacker Marquel Lee out of Wake Forest. Lee, who injured his foot during the East-West Shrine Game, was rated as a fifth round draft pick after the NFL Scouting Combine, and that was exactly where the Raiders selected him.

As a rookie, Lee actually earned the starting middle linebacker job out of camp, thanks to his incredible work ethic, and his ability to make big plays against the run. He played well, but when the Raiders signed NaVorro Bowman during the season, Lee found himself on the bench the rest of the way.

Last season, Lee appeared in all 16 games for Paul Guenther and his new defensive scheme, and started ten games. He had a career-high 68 tackles, and proved himself to be a guy who could be a building block for this defense down the road. Lee will likely move to bench with the additions of Brandon Marshall and Vontaze Burfict in 2019, but by next season, he should be back in the starting lineup.

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