Las Vegas Raiders 7-round 2021 NFL Mock: Heavy on the defense

The defensive picks continue as the Raiders look to address another need on the defensive line. Last season, the only defensive tackle that played well was Johnathan Hankins, and he is currently a free agent, so time will tell if the Raiders will be able to convince him to return. Free-agent Maliek Collins was a colossal disappointment despite some considerable hype and Mo Hurst struggled to make an impact in limited opportunities.

So with the 49th pick, the Raiders select Alim McNeill from North Carolina State to fill the hole on the interior defensive line. McNeill is a load at 6’2″, 320lbs, and can be a run-stuffing tackle in the mold of Hankins, but has also flashed some pass-rush ability at NC State.

In 32 games with the Wolfpack, McNeill recorded ten sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, so he has the ability to generate a pass rush from the interior and can penetrate to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The Raiders have not had a dominant defensive tackle since Richard Seymour and McNeill has the potential to be an excellent player.