Raiders 2023 7-round NFL Mock Draft: What if Aaron Rodgers arrives?
Raiders 2023 7-round NFL Mock Draft: What if Aaron Rodgers arrives?
Linebacker. Commodores . Anfernee Orji. 204. player. 887.
With the 204th overall pick, we grab another versatile defender that can fill not one but two needs for the Raiders. After two years at Vanderbilt as a safety, Anfernee Orji transitioned to linebacker for the final two years of his college career.
He went from a part-time player for the Commodores to an every-down starter and was a tackling machine on that defense, racking up close to 200 tackles over the last two years.
Orji is a bit of a tweener as he measures in at 6-2 and 224lbs but he packs plenty of punch and athleticism at that size. He ran a 4.57 40 which is on the lower end for a safety but is elite for an outside linebacker or box safety which he looks like he will be at the next level.
Orji has the speed to be a sideline-to-sideline linebacker and is an excellent run defender and tackler. There are some concerns about his size holding up at the point of attack, but he could be a great weak-side linebacker and box safety.
The Raiders have had mixed success with tweener guys like this but you could never have enough speed on defense and he brings plenty of that at the linebacker position. His experience at safety will be a bonus when he drops back in coverage and Patrick Graham sure loves his versatile defensive backs.