2019 first round re-draft a reminder of Raiders drafting nightmare
By Brad Weiss
Recently, Pro Football Focus redrafted the 2019 NFL Draft’s first round, and for the most part, it is a nightmare for Raiders fans.
As Raiders fans, we all remember the 2019 NFL Draft, when the franchise had Jon Gruden back at the helm, and three first-round picks. To get the picks, Gruden gutted the star-power on the roster, trading away both Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack, as he tried to put his own stamp on the team.
What would occur was three head-scratching picks that look even worse today, and were a big reason for the Raiders struggling to win games in 2019 and 2020. Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram were the three selections that April, and for the most part, outside of Jacobs, it has been pretty disappointing.
Jacobs has been a Pro Bowler, but you can get Pro Bowl running backs on Day 2, and Ferrell and Abram have yet to prove they should be a part of the long-term solution in Las Vegas.
Recently, Pro Football Focus re-drafted the first round of that 2019 NFL Draft, and for the most part, it is another reminder of what a nightmare that first night was.
Raiders get their edge rusher at No. 4
The re-draft actually lands the Raiders an edge rusher on their current roster with their first of three first-round picks, but it is not Clelin Ferrell. In fact, neither Ferrell, Jacobs, or Abram are drafted in the first-round re-draft, as Maxx Crosby heads to Las Vegas at pick No. 4 overall.
Since being drafted by the Raiders in that same draft, just a few days later, Crosby has become one of the best young defensive players in the NFL.
For Jacobs, pick No. 24, the Silver and Black add Ed Oliver, which would have cured their issues along the interior of their defensive line. Finally, Juan Thornhill is picked in Abram’s spot, and he would have been a much better get than Abram has been. He is a consistent player at the NFL level, something Abram has yet to prove entering Year 4.
The biggest nightmare of this re-draft comes at pick No. 28 overall, as Hunter Renfrow is drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers. Star quarterback Justin Herbert would likely love nothing more than to have the Slot Machine at his disposal, but unfortunately for him, he is likely to be a Raider for Life.