Linebacker emerging as favorite to be Raiders top pick in 2021
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders hold one selection in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and one player is emerging as the favorite to land in Sin City.
Unlike the previous two NFL Drafts under general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden, the Las Vegas Raiders hold only one first-round pick this year. In the past two years, the Raiders have had five first-round selections, bringing in a collection of talent that has been very up and down.
There have been elite picks, like Alabama’s Josh Jacobs, but overall, this group has been underwhelming so far at the NFL level. With only one pick this year, Mayock and Gruden cannot afford to get it wrong, and as we inch closer to the first round, players are starting to emerge as favorites to land in the Silver and Black on Thursday night.
Former Notre Dame football star emerging as favorite to be Raiders top pick in 2021
After the opening rush of free agency and some pre-draft workouts, however, now most are mocking a former Notre Dame linebacker to Las Vegas this year.
According to NFLMockDraftDatabase.com, the consensus pick for the Raiders during the last two weeks has been former Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He has also been the consensus selection from the last two months, but what does that really mean when it comes time for the Raiders to hand in their index card at pick No. 17 overall.
What it means is that all those who cover the draft, have a feeling that the versatile JOK could be the selection at No. 17, that is it. As we see every year, the NFL Draft is a crapshoot, especially in the first round, and the Raiders have never been one to go with the player that many expect them to.
However, it is fun to look at all the different mock drafts this time of year, and entering draft week, we are going to see all the media experts putting the final touches on their last mock. The Raiders have holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and JOK can help at outside linebacker, and safety if need be, but some are worried about his “tweener” size heading into Thursday’s first round.