NFL Draft Rumors: Raiders Likely To Take Defensive Lineman At Four

The Oakland Raiders are the most intriguing team in the 2019 NFL Draft. They have three first-round picks and all their scouts were sent home by head coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock. The Raiders have the fourth pick in the draft and are looking to take a defensive lineman there, according to ESPN’s Todd McShay.
The decision to draft a defensive lineman is smart as the team had a league-low 13 sacks in 2018. For comparison, Khalil Mack had 12.5 sacks by himself for the Chicago Bears in the same season. The Raiders need someone to rush the passer if they want to compete in 2019.
It is unlikely that Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams will be on the board at four but the Raiders will essentially have their of the draft’s top linemen. Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Montez Sweat, and Rashan Gary could all be available for Gruden and Mayock with the fourth pick. Linebacker Devin White is also an option for them but the team signed Vontaze Burfict in the offseason.
The Raiders have done a lot of work on Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins but they still have Derek Carr at running back. Some people believed that they would trade up to select a quarterback but that scenario seems unlikely. If the Raiders do trade up in the 2019 NFL Draft, they could be taking Bosa.


The Ohio State defensive end was spotted talking with Mayock while he was out in the Bay Area visiting the 49ers. San Francisco has the second pick in the draft and have been favored to take Bosa since January. It will be a steep price for the Raiders if they want to trade up and nab Bosa.
The Raiders do not need to trade up to land a top talent on the defensive line. The 2019 class is filled with talented defensive lineman and they have the fourth pick in the draft. The Raiders are always a team to watch on draft day especially now that they have three first-round picks.


NFL Mock Draft 2019: Final Picks & Predictions
NFL Mock Draft 2019: Final Picks & Predictions