Patrick Queen, LB, LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 229 LBS
With the 19th pick, Wilson predicts that the Las Vegas Raiders will dip back in to the deep LSU Tigers talent pool and select linebacker Patrick Queen. After Isaiah Simmons incredible performance he is long gone by the Raiders are on the board in this mock draft so Wilson has the Silver and Black taking who he believes is the next best backer in the class.
Unlike this teammate, Queen worked out at the Scouting Combine and put on a show. Queen’s 40-yard dash time of 4.50 was good enough for fourth in his position group, behind Simmons, Colorado’s Davion Taylor and Mississippi State’s Willie Gay Jr.. Queen shined in other drills as he was ranked 11th in vertical jump, 8th in broad jump, and 14th in bench press.
Wilson had the following to say about Queen:
"Yes, we know, Henry Ruggs is still on the board. But GM Mike Mayock talked during the combine about how hard it is to predict how WRs will translate to the next level. Meanwhile, the Raiders very quietly had one of the best rookie draft classes last season and they’ll look to build on that this spring. Queen flashed early and often during the national title game and those 60 minutes of football served as a microcosm of his 2019 season."
Wilson is correct in that Queen was one of the best players in the national title game but the concern with him has always been his size. Queen displayed the incredible speed to cover the field from sideline to sideline but if he is tasked with covering one of the many talented tight ends in the league he may not measure up to the task. Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray may be the better option based on his measurables and he posted a 40 time marginally slower than Queen’s at 4.52.
As we know, measurables only mean so much when it comes time to strap on the helmet and pads but the Raiders have had their issues with undersized linebackers in recent years so that alone may scare them away from Queen. If they do indeed select him and he lives up to his potential however than the Raiders will finally have the centerpiece middle linebacker they have needed for over a decade.