2018 NFL Draft: Immediate reactions, grades to Raiders selection of Johnny Townsend at 173 overall

After trading up to pick Michigan’s Maurice Hurst with the 140th overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Raiders have one more pick in the 5th round. With the 173rd overall pick, they drafted Florida punter Johnny Townsend. How does the staff at Silver & Black Pride great the selection?

Tyler Green (@TylerGreenSB)

After releasing Marquette King, the Raiders had a need to fill at Punter. They added Townsend to compete for the starting job. He has a strong leg posting a career average of 46.2 yards per punt.

Grade: B

RDreamer (@RaiderDamus)

I expected the Raiders to get a punter at some point, but I was expecting JK Scott from Alabama. He went one pick prior to this, so the Raiders get the best directional punter in this draft in Townsend. An excellent replacement for Marquette King, although there were other positions I might have addressed.

Grade: C

Ryan Lipton (@Rytime98)

The Raiders needed to grab a punter at some point after releasing King earlier in the offseason. Townsend has an impressive career average of 46.2 yards per punt and NFL Network’s Mike Mayock praised his directional punting ability.

Punting is important guys. Good pick and fills a need.

Grade: B+

Levi Damien (@LeviDamien)

Well, they got their punter. It wasn’t Michael Dickson, whom they had a shot at in the 5th round, but you can’t really blame them for taking Maurice Hurst. But they then had the Packers trade up ahead of them into the bottom of the 5th to take JK Scott, so they settle for the best punter still on the board in Johnny Townsend.

Grade: B-