2021 NFL Draft: OTs to replace Trent Brown with Raiders No. 17 pick
By Brad Weiss
Raiders draft target: Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech
When it comes to NFL-ready players, Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw is up there with any offensive lineman coming out this season. A starter as a true freshman for the Hokies, Darrisaw has not missed a single game across the last two seasons and should be one of the first offensive tackles taken in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In Darrisaw, the Raiders would be getting a mountain of a man, as he stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 314 pounds. He is elite at protecting against the pass rush and is a dominant blocker in the run game, two things that are going to make him an instant starter at the next level, which is what the Raiders now need.
With a good predraft process, Darrisaw is going to creep into the first half of the NFL Draft, but with how the draft is shaking out, and all the teams that need a quarterback, he could fall to No. 17. There is a good group of first-round offensive tackles in this draft class, and guys like Darrisaw and Slater can help improve this Raiders offensive line in Year 1.