Over the past couple of drafts, the Raiders have laid some of their focus on the defensive line, and it has helped the group improve tremendously in 2019. Defensive line coach Brentson Buckner has helped guide this unit into a complete overhaul this past season, adding guys like Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell on the edge via the draft.
In the middle, the Raiders got a steal with Maurice Hurst during the 2018 NFL Draft, and fellow second-year player P.J. Hall is also a lot better than people think. With their fourth round pick in 2020, they should add another big body to the mix, and they could get one in Calvin Taylor from Kentucky.
At 6’9 300 pounds, Taylor has the size to play defensive tackle, and the athleticism to play defensive end. As a senior on an improving college football team, Taylor seems like the type of leader that Mayock would look to draft in the fourth round. The knock-on Taylor over the last few years was that he did not record enough sacks, but that changed this season as he currently has 7.5 sacks on the season.