The Oakland Raiders got a special player with their third of three first round picks this past April, as Johnathan Abram will prove to be an impact player as a rookie.
The Oakland Raiders held three first round picks this past April, and with their final one, they selected Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram. A hard-hitting defensive back, Abram will jump right into the mix in this Raiders defensive backfield, and could have an immediate impact on a revamped defense.
Prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, the Raiders signed former Los Angeles Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner, but the expectation is that he will move to the nickel corner spot for Oakland. That means that Abram will have a legitimate shot to earn a starting job as a rookie, and all early returns look like he is going to be a special player.
During his time with the Bulldogs, Abram was viewed as the hardest hitting safety in college football, and much like Karl Joseph, he brings incredible intensity to the position. In addition, he has shown tremendous football IQ, making him one of the more exciting Raiders rookies to keep an eye on this season.
Another great thing about Abram is that he has had to fight for everything he has earned up to this point, as he was only a two-star recruit coming out of Columbia (MS) East Marion. Abram went to Georgia, but ended up in Junior College, before landing at Mississippi State.
By the time he was done at Mississippi State, he was an All-SEC player, becoming a standout in the toughest conference in college football.
The Raiders got a solid season out of Joseph this past season, as he finally looked like a first round talent. The combination of Joseph and Abram is a punishing duo at the safety position, and for once, it looks like Oakland will have solid depth in the secondary in 2019.