2021 NFL Draft: Las Vegas Raiders dueling 7-round mock drafts

Surprise! The Raiders don’t choose a tackle after Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

At No. 48, offensive line coach Tom Cable may not like the options to replace Trent Brown on the right side. Six or seven tackles could come off the board in the first round, which may encourage Vegas to continue its focus on defense with the best player available.

NBC Sports’ Peter King dropped an interesting tidbit in his most recent column.

“I won’t be surprised if the Raiders move defensive end Carl Nassib,” King said.

King’s comment about an average player should catch your attention. That’s not a rumor that drives clicks, so he may have a good source on the team’s plan for Nassib. With that in mind, the Raiders can select the best edge-rusher with their second pick.

At 6’3″, 274 pounds, Carlos Basham Jr. can line up outside the tackle, but he also flashed the ability to play inside during Senior Bowl Week. The Wake Forest product is light on his feet but uses his powerful hands with a short-area burst to reach the quarterback.

If Clelin Ferrell takes more snaps inside, Basham can make an immediate impact at defensive end. He could also take Nassib’s snaps if the team trades the veteran.

Writer’s Pick: S Richie Grant, UCF

Vegas shouldn’t veer too far away from its needs early in the draft. Aside from right tackle, the defense has a glaring hole at free safety.

Although Karl Joseph can play both safety spots (strong and free), he’s on a one-year deal. The Raiders only have one player at the position on the books beyond the 2021 season, Johnathan Abram, who’s primarily a box defender.

Richie Grant isn’t the most athletic safety in the class, though he has the ball production that shows his coverage skills and ability to read plays from center field. He recorded 10 interceptions and 16 pass breakups over the last three terms at UCF.

As Jeff Heath goes into his age-30 season, the Raiders need a see-ball-get-ball coverage safety on the back end. Grant fills that void.