On April 30, commissioner Roger Goodell will step up to the microphone in the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago to announce the identity of the Raiders’ fourth-overall selection in the NFL draft.
Many believe the Raiders will select a field-stretching wide receiver, a big-time playmaker who can pair with young quarterback Derek Carr to give Oakland a more dynamic passing game.
Others say Oakland needs a difference-making defensive lineman, particularly a pass-rushing end who could put some life into a pass rush that produced a franchise-low 22 sacks in 2014.
So what will general manager Reggie McKenzie do?
It may turn out that McKenzie will take the best player available at No. 4, just as he did in 2014, when – with the fifth pick – he was hoping he’d have the chance to pick either wide receiver Sammy Watkins or linebacker Khalil Mack. When the Buffalo Bills took Watkins a pick before the Raiders, Oakland landed Mack, who proved to be one of the NFL’s best young defensive players. The Bills, too, were happy with Watkins.
With the fourth pick this time around, it’s possible McKenzie could wind up with either Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper or defensive linemen Leonard Williams of USC or Randy Gregory of Nebraska.
The Tampa Bay Bucs, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars pick ahead of the Raiders, and the Bucs and Titans both are in the market for a quarterback if they stay where they are. If that’s the case, the Jaguars – who have second-year starting QB Blake Bortles – could take an offensive tackle. But even if they take Cooper, Williams or Gregory, it would leave the Raiders still with a choice of the remaining two.
Sports
Which position is the team more in need of a prime talent?
There’s no question the Raiders need to upgrade their wide receiver group. Carr needs a downfield threat. The Raiders ranked 26th in the NFL in passing yards and were dead last in yards per completion, just 5.5. A wide receiver who can get deep and open up other possibilities would be an instant upgrade to the offense.
But consider, also, what an impact defensive lineman could bring. If Gregory, for instance, were lineup up on the end in front of Mack, they could put a lot of pressure on opposing blocking schemes in pass-rushing situations, and take the pressure off the Oakland secondary. Too often in 2014, opposing QBs had far too much time to pick out open receivers.
It’s possible, too, that what the Raiders do in free agency will go a long way in determining which way the team goes in the draft. If Oakland were to sign a standout defensive lineman such as Ndamukong Suh or a wideout (Randall Cobb? Jeremy Maclin?), McKenzie’s direction might be much more clear.
