Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders needs heading into the 2021 NFL Draft

By Brad Weiss | Apr 15, 2021

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 26: General Manager Mike Mayock of the Oakland Raiders of the North Team on the field before the start of the 2019 Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 26, 2019 in Mobile, Alabama. The North defeated the South 34 to 24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

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Raiders Karl Joseph (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images) /

Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders draft needs heading into the 2021 NFL Draft

2. Safety

With Karl Joseph returning to the fold, the Raiders could have their two starting safeties already on the roster in both KuJo, and 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram. The problem there, is, that Abram has yet to show he can be a consistent player at the NFL level, and the two guys have a similar skill set.

During his time at West Virginia, Joseph actually played free safety, which is where Gus Bradley should play him this year. Outside of those two, Dallin Leavitt returns, as does Jeff Heath, so as you can see, there is a major lack of depth, and talent at one of the more important positions on the defensive side of the ball.

The Raiders play in a pass-happy AFC West, one that boasts two of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers. Las Vegas has to improve at both safety and cornerback in this draft, and safety may be the most important of the two as of right now.

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