The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of work to do in terms of their roster, and three Northwestern Wildcats could be targets in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders hold six draft picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, including the No. 17 overall pick in the first round. After shedding a lot of big-money contracts already this offseason, the franchise heads into a crucial offseason, as they have improved in wins every season since Jon Gruden came back, but seem to be just as far away from being a playoff team as they were a few years ago.
As the franchise turns their attention to free agency and the draft, they have to make sure they do not miss on their selections. Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was impressed with what he saw from the Northwestern Wildcats during the Pro Day, and three should be on the team’s radar in the 2021 NFL Draft.
3 Northwestern Wildcats the Raiders should target in 2021 NFL Draft
Earnest Brown IV, Edge Rusher
We start with an edge rusher that does not get a ton of love when it comes to draft talk, but someone who has the raw ability to really be a menace off the edge at the next level. Earnest Brown IV is a guy who has the size and quickness you look for in an elite edge rusher, but being that he is a bit of a project right now, he could end up being a solid Day 3 find for the Raiders.
Brown moves extremely well for a man his size, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 270 pounds, and he projects as someone who is best suited for a four-man front. That is what the Raiders plan to run under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, and with how much this team struggled to get pressure this past season, an edge rusher is definitely in the cards come draft time.