The Las Vegas Raiders are in a position of strength with the sixth overall pick in the draft later this month. Virtually nothing they do would be regarded as the wrong move in the moment, with plenty of needs and options that could lead them to stand pat, or move out of the pick if trade discussions ramp up.
Based on head coach Pete Carroll's history with the Seattle Seahawks, the majority default pick for the Raiders at No. 6 overall in mock drafts has become Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Matt Hasselbeck played one season for Carroll in Seattle (2010), and on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd Monday, he cited Carroll likely wanting to recapture the ground game Seattle had years ago.
"No doubt Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly want to run the ball", Hasselbeck said. "And so it's very easy to get your mind around, like a Marshawn Lynch-type running game. If he were to fall down to the Raiders around six, would they go ahead and take him? Because I think Pete Carroll loves that vibe, living on the edge of competitiveness, having a flair."
A deep draft class at the position makes waiting to take a running back a viable idea, but there's something to be said for just taking the widely regarded best one if you think he's the best. Time will tell if the Raiders feel that way about Jeanty at No. 6 overall.
John Spytek reveals ultimatum he was given about who Raiders should draft 6th overall
Raiders general manager John Spytek was on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Leger Douzable and Justin Pugh from the NFL Owner's Meetings on Monday evening, and he talked about some behind-the-scenes "pressure" he has gotten over who the Raiders should draft sixth overall.
"My oldest son has made it no secret that if we don’t pick Ashton Jeanty at 6 that he’s walking out of the family and he's gonna find somebody else, probably whoever takes Ashton. Jack is motivated by fantasy football and touchdowns... He walked right into our building and basically told Mark Davis if my dad doesn’t take Ashton Jeanty, he's doing a bad job."
We are into pre-draft "smoke screen" season, where anything we see said or reported about draft prospects could be seen as an effort to manipulate their stock.
Spytek didn't exactly go there here, but "pressure" from his son could be interpreted as a bat signal that teams below the Raiders in the first round who want Jeanty will have to trade up to get him.