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It’s been a while since we’ve done a mock draft, so I thought it would be fun to do one for the Raiders again. I’ll be doing seven rounds, using the mock draft machine from The Draft Network.
Round 1 - Pick 17 - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - Linebacker, Notre Dame
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah projects as an impact defender at the NFL level. There’s an undeniable level of explosion to his game that helps Owusu-Koramoah mask the limitations of his game on account of his stature. An ideal match from a team perspective would be one that wants to stay in their base defensive personnel at a higher than average rate, where Owusu-Koramoah’s versatility can shine brightly against spread sets. There’s plenty of experience playing as a pressure player up the middle and even as a pseudo-third safety who is walked outside the hashes and taking man-to-man reps against wide receivers from the slot. Owusu-Koramoah took a big step forward with his game in 2020 and was in several contests the best football player on the field—he moves at a different speed than his teammates and his instincts to find the football and make big plays is undeniable. The more you watch, the more you love. Just don’t ask him to play a traditional stack role or attempt to work him as the MIKE linebacker for sustained, optimal success.
Round 2 - Pick 48 - Dillon Radunz - Offensive Tackle, North Dakota State
Dillon Radunz aligns at left tackle for the Bison offense. Relatively speaking, he plays with good overall athleticism with regards to body control and balance. In the run game, he is excellent. He has a nasty disposition as a run blocker and wants to maul you. He can improve his proficiency at getting on moving defenders at the second level, but there’s nothing alarming in this regard. He remains upright and demonstrates instances of good lateral redirect agility. He has the frame to gain more mass and bulk, which should make him more effective.
Round 3 - Pick 79 - Tommy Togiai - Defensive Lineman, Ohio State
Ohio State defensive tackle Tommy Togiai projects as a high-level run defender along the defensive interior in the NFL. Togiai offers natural leverage with his build and frame, which allows him to sit under the pads of blockers with consistency. That leverage advantage is paired with nifty hand usage and really good lateral mobility for his stature—giving Togiai a prominent presence along the line of scrimmage on both interior runs and plays that are strung out into the numbers. He’s not the longest interior defender, but he’ll still find plenty of success shucking blocks with his hand usage and feel for blocks; even falling back onto his short-area mobility to out-maneuver blockers when he’s hit with leveraged down blocks or pin and pull. Togiai’s ceiling as a pass rusher isn’t great, but he does have enough quickness to threaten gaps in single-gap penetration opportunities. Ideally, he’s an early-down defender who cedes reps to more dynamic threats and designated pass rushers at the pro level. With that said, he has the feel of a starting interior defender.
Round 3 - Pick 80 - Shaun Wade - Cornerback, Ohio State
Ohio State defensive back Shaun Wade will be a hotly contested prospect after seeing his fair share of successes and failures with the Buckeyes program. Wade burst onto the scene as a dynamic freshman and starred in a nickel corner role for a Buckeyes secondary that was loaded with talent throughout the course of his first two seasons in Columbus. But Wade’s junior season saw a transition to the perimeter and a fair share of struggles with life on the outside, calling into question whether or not Wade can play on the boundary and whether or not he’s destined for a role as a nickel or safety. Based on Wade’s 2020 play, a transition to strong safety feels like a safe bet to maximize his athletic skills, length, and hitting power without tasking him to cover too much ground or play on an island in coverage. Wade’s ceiling really shines when he’s able to be protected vertically, so even if he went into the pros as a cornerback, he’d be best suited to play in a two-deep variation. In all, Wade has plenty of potential; but after three seasons in Columbus, he feels no closer to reaching it and a position change may be his best ticket to getting there.
Round 4 - Pick 121 - Talanoa Hufanga, Safety - USC
Talanoa Hufanga was a versatile defender for the Trojans defense. He is a safety by trade but has aligned in multiple places due to his diverse skill set. He is a violent tackler who seems to enjoy the physical aspect of the game. His mental aptitude allows him to easily align in multiple places. He has made strides in the passing game, evidenced by his four interceptions this season. He is an instinctive player who plays the game with a violent edge.
Round 5 - Pick 162 - Rashad Weaver - Defensive End, Pittsburgh
After logging 47 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks in 2018, Pittsburgh EDGE Rashad Weaver missed the entire 2019 season with a knee injury. Picking up where he left off, Weaver collected 34 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in nine games in 2020. Weaver is a long and powerful defensive end that has upside in the NFL as both a 5-technique in a 3-4 defense or as a base end in a 4-3 defense. As a pass rusher, Weaver has sufficient rush variety and his length is a major asset. With that said, he lacks burst and flexibility and he’s a slow-burn rusher, which limits his ceiling at the next level. As a run defender, Weaver is a good processor and is capable of squeezing gaps. He would benefit from adding functional strength to hold up better against drive blocks and he has to be more careful committing to inside gaps and being more mindful of his modest flexibility and lateral mobility to avoid getting cornered by the ball-carrier on outside runs. Perhaps another year removed from the knee injury will reveal a more dynamic athletic profile, but Weavers projects as a rotational defender in the NFL.
Round 5 - Pick 167 - Javian Hawkins - Running Back, Louisville
Javian Hawkins was a dynamic playmaker for Louisville over the last two seasons where he racked up 417 touches from scrimmage for 2,432 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is exceptionally quick, elusive, and has the speed to take the football the distance from anywhere on the field. What he lacks in size, he makes up in big-play potential. At the next level, Hawkins doesn’t profile as a feature back, but his skill set demands a few chances each week to get involved in the passing game, jet motion, and perimeter runs. The challenge with Hawkins in the NFL is he lacks natural vision, is undersized, and has some ball security issues. Despite his skill set translating well to pass-catching duties out of the backfield, he only caught 21 passes in college, so he must prove his ability to be a reliable receiver. Hawkins is a niche player, but his ability to produce big plays and add a speed dynamic gives him a chance at the next level. Ideally, he could increase his value by contributing as a returner, but he didn’t receive many chances to do so in college and needs to prove himself in that aspect as well.
Round 6 - Pick 200 - Tre’ McKitty - Tight End, Georgia
Tre’ McKitty aligned as the “move tight end” for the Bulldogs offense. He has good athleticism, as evidenced by his good body control and agility. In the run game, he is willing to stick his face in the trenches and block. He will not be a vertical mover, nor will he create a new line of scrimmage, but he has adequate blocking ability. He is dynamic as a pass-catcher due to his outstanding “un after catch ability. He had a knee scope just before the start of the season and it is unknown how healthy he was playing in 2020.
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