2021 NFL Draft: 3 1st round prospects for each level of the Raiders defense
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders will likely be picking towards the middle of the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Here is a target for each level of the defense.
This past offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders made a bunch of moves to improve the defensive side of the ball. They revamped the linebacker room, used a first-round pick on a cornerback, and spent a lot of money in free agency on guys like Cory Littleton and Maliek Collins.
Unfortunately, all of those moves did nothing to improve the group as a whole, and while some players have been okay, the defense has been atrocious. As we inch towards the finish line of the regular season, losing four of the last five games, the Raiders need to focus on the defense once again this offseason.
Throughout 2020, the defense has been a no-show on nearly every occasion, and head coach Jon Gruden even went as far as to fire defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. His replacement, Rod Marinelli, worked with a short deck in Week 15, playing on a short week with four starters out, but the result was still the same.
Focusing on the 2021 NFL Draft, here are three players that could help improve each level of the Raiders defense, depending on what area they look to address first.