Silver Minings: NFL Mock Draft roundup

Every day there is some sort of mock draft unveiled, and I can’t get enough of it. Although we won’t know who the Raiders will be taking for a few more weeks, it’s always fun to take a look at who is projected to get selected by Las Vegas.

I’ve taken a few mock drafts from over the last few days to get an idea of who the experts are projecting the Raiders select.

ESPN:

Rashawn Slater - OT/G - Northwestern

The Raiders moved on from a majority of their starting offensive linemen over the past few weeks, and Slater is versatile enough to slide into any role Las Vegas would need him to fill. That should be the target here, but I did consider adding a guy like Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech) to the cornerback group.

Pro Football Focus

Teven Jenkins - T - Oklahoma State

Las Vegas’ offensive line underwent a facelift over the last month with the Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson and Trent Brown trades. Brandon Parker is currently projected to start at right tackle, and that’s less than ideal given that Parker has failed to clear a PFF grade of 50.0 in his first three NFL seasons.

Jenkins would give Las Vegas a better option on the right side heading into the 2021 season. He was a force in the run game at Oklahoma State, imposing his will and showcasing impressive strength. Jenkins ended last season with a 93.6 run-blocking grade.

NFL.com

Greg Newsome II - CB - Northwestern

This could be higher than other mock drafts have Newsome going, but I think teams are higher on the Northwestern CB than the rest of our “draft media” world. He is smart, tough and brings a professionalism to the field. The Raiders will be looking to continue their offseason trend: beefing up the defense.

NFL.com

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - LB - Notre Dame

New defensive coordinator Gus Bradley requires a lot of speed, athleticism and coverability from his linebackers. Owusu-Koramoah gives you plenty of each. With Las Vegas signing Yannick Ngakoue to pair up with Maxx Crosby, I’m not as concerned about the Raiders’ edge-rush woes as I was before free agency.

In other Raiders’ links:

• Could Raiders take another look at potentially signing Jadeveon Clowney?
• Three potential targets for the Raiders in the second round.
• Three free-agents that could help out the Raiders.