No. 169. Kitan Crawford | S Nevada (Acquired from Buffalo Bills)
The Las Vegas Raiders struck a trade with the Buffalo Bills, landing picks No. 169 and 170 in exchange for No. 143. With the first of these two selections, they chose Kitan Crawford, a versatile defensive back that can play both nickel corner and deep safety.
Crawford is a tad undersized at 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds, but he exhibited his athletic ability at the NFL combine with a 4.41-second 40-yard dash and a 41 and 1/2-inch vertical jump. He began his career as a running back at Texas and excelled on special teams before transferring to Nevada and becoming a star safety.
In his final season, he led the Wolfpack with 76 tackles and earned All-Mountain West Honorable Mention honors for his play. His football IQ is tremendous, but he needs a bit of coaching as it pertains to the finer aspects of the safety position. He could contribute immediately on special teams in the NFL and hopefully transition into a starting role after spending a few more years learning how to play the safety position.
No. 170. Jamon Dumas-Johnson | LB Kentucky (Acquired from Buffalo Bills)
Las Vegas selected Kentucky linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson with the second of their back-to-back picks that they acquired from Buffalo in this exercise. Similar to Crawford, the former Wildcat is an undersized prospect at 6 feet and 238 pounds, but he is also a tremendous athlete.
While Dumas-Johnson did not attend the combine, he put on a show at his pro day with a 4.51-second 40-yard dash time and a 40-inch vertical jump. He is an experienced player, logging time in 42 career games in the SEC, including two National Championship victories at Georgia before transferring to Kentucky.
The Maryland native is a tough, hard-nosed defender who can help the Raiders' run defense immediately. He will be able to learn a thing or two from Elandon Roberts as well, and he will have the opportunity to compete for the third linebacker role. While he may be lacking in coverage ability, he makes up for it with a high football IQ and great instincts for the game. He projects as an immediate contributor on special teams and can help provide tremendous depth for the defense at a thin position.