Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Trading down on Day 1 a must?

Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Trading down on Day 1 a must?

70 Derick Hall EDGE | Auburn

Given his age and low production last year, we know that Chandler Jones is not the long-term answer at right defensive end for the Raiders. With that in mind, we draft his replacement and protege in Derick Hall out of Auburn with the 70th overall pick.

Hall is an athletic and talented pass rusher who was one of the best players in the SEC in 2022. His sixty tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and seven sacks led him to being named first team all SEC despite the Tigers having a down year by their standards. His size is ideal at 6-2 and 255 pounds and he ran a blistering 4.5 second 40 at the NFL combine.

There are some concerns about his lack of pass rush moves and the fact that he can rely a bit too much on his athleticism and bull rush. These pass rush moves can be taught and who better to learn from than one of the all-time great masters in Chandler Jones. The Raiders will have the luxury of deploying him as a situational pass rusher initially and he can grow into a full-time starter by the time Jones is out in Las Vegas.