2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders draft needs

By Nick Ellis | Apr 28, 2021

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 28: NFL Network Draft Expert Mike Mayock walks the sidelines before the start of the 2017 Resse's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 28, 2017 in Mobile, Alabama. The South defeated the North 16-15. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

3 of 5

No. 3: Linebacker

The Raiders have a couple of solid linebackers on their team, but for some reason, it seems like it is a position where we continue to struggle, even after bringing in Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton. Although Kwiatkoski played well when healthy, Littleton was a massive letdown, and although it could have been because of the scheme and coaching like he hinted at, the team is still in need of another linebacker.

I would not put linebacker as this big of a need if it weren’t for 1) the scheme and style of defense that new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley likes to run. We need a speedy linebacker to cover the field. 2) multiple linebackers would be worthy of a first-round pick for the Raiders, such as Micah Parsons and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

As a whole, the Raiders lacked playmakers at all three levels last season per Mike Mayock, and in either Parsons or JOK, they get one immediately in round one. If they pass on those two, or they are not there, look for this to be a position group they avoid until Saturday across the four rounds on Day 3.

Home/Las Vegas Raiders Draft