NFL draft 2021: Likely Raiders targets at with No. 17 pick

We’ve looked at the April 29-May 1 draft from a lot of angles and will continue to do so for the next few weeks leading up to the big event.

But let’s keep this one pretty simple. Who are the top candidates at No. 17 pick? If the Raiders don’t trade up or down, there are several ways they can go in the first round.

Trevon Moehrig:
The TCU safety makes a lot of sense. He’d be a great fit for Gus Bradley’s defense and he’d pair with 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram in the back end of the defense. Some think Moehrig may be available lower in the first round and that at taking a tackle is a better play at No. 17, especially since the Raiders have invested so much in the position in recent years But I can see Moehrig being the pick.

Alijah Vera-Tucker:
The offensive lineman from USC (he’s an Oakland native, by the way) is my current pick for the Raiders. He can play both tackle and guard and that will be valuable in the future. Many scouts believe he has an extremely high ceiling.

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Kwity Paye:
Paye is a physical specimen and he’s very strong. Some scouts think that he has a chance to be the next great NFL pass rusher. If he is available at No. 17, he would offer great value and it would be tempting for the Raiders to grab him. Yes, they signed Yannick Ngakoue, but only for two years. They can control Paye for five years.

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Teven Jenkins:
The Oklahoma State product would step in as the starter at right tackle. He is big and has a high ceiling. Some in the draft community believe he’d be a perfect fit for Tom Cable’s unit.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah:
The linebacker from Notre Dame has been connected to the Raiders often. He is a playmaker and he will probably be available at No. 17.

CONCLUSION:
There are other possibilities as well, but this is a decent snapshot of where the Raiders may be headed at No. 17.