Raiders 2018 Draft, Day 3
Round 4 Pick 110- Nick Nelson- CB
- Next five picks- Brian Allen, Mark Walton, Daesean Hamilton, DaShawn Hand, Joel Iyiegbuniwe
The Raiders have struggled at the cornerback position for years, and that trend did not stop with the Nick Nelson selection. Nelson is one of the most forgettable picks of this draft, as he only played twelve games for the Raiders in his career.
When Nelson was on the field for the Raiders, he did not play well. Another pick in the Gruden era, another missed pick.
Pick Grade: F
Round 5 Pick 140- Maurice Hurst- DT
- Next five picks- Shaquem Griffin, D.J. Reed, Jawhuan Bentley, Justin Watson, Bilal Nichols
Out of all the picks of the Gruden era, this one is easily in the top three. At one point, Hurst was a projected first-rounder, until a heart issue led teams to pass on him, all the way until the Raiders decided to take the risk on him in the fifth round.
Since Hurst became a Raider, he has been one of the only consistent pieces on the defense, and if the team used him as often as they should, he could make a big difference in the Raiders’ run defense and pass rush. Hurst has eight sacks in his Raiders career, 76 tackles, and an interception.
Pick Grade: A
Round 5 Pick 173- Johnny Townsend- P
- Next five picks-Marquis Valdes Scantling, Damion Rattley, John Kelly, Duke Ejiofor, Christian Sam
The Raiders decided to use a draft pick on a punter in the fifth round, during the first year of Gruden’s rebuild year. Not only that, but Townsend did not play well and was replaced after just one season with the team. There really is no other grade you could give this pick.
Pick Grade: F
Round 6 Pick 216- Azeem Victor- LB
- Next five picks- Keishawn Bierria, Ade Aruna, Danny Etling, Alex McGough, Matthew Adams
As a sixth round pick, Victor did not make the Raiders roster, and has never played a regular season snap in the NFL.
Pick Grade: F
Round 7 Pick 228- Marcell Ateman- WR
- Next five picks- Jason Sanders, Leon Jacobs, Travin Howard, James Looney, Jordan Mailata
A seventh-round pick often does not make the team’s roster, and although Ateman has not done much for the Raiders, he did manage to stick around for a while and see the field on a few occasions. Ateman recorded 20 receptions for 270 yards and a touchdown in his Raiders career, and although it isn’t much, any production as a seventh-round pick is at least something.
Pick Grade: C-