Raiders mock drafts: Is the defense the focus in Round 1? One analyst doesn’t think so
.jpg "Could the Las Vegas Raiders select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame or Kwity Paye of Michigan with the 17th overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. Some draft analysts were split.")
Now that the Super Bowl is over, it is time to think about the upcoming NFL draft.
That means many websites will be posting their mock drafts leading up to the draft. That is why we make the trip around the world wide web to see what analysts are saying what the Las Vegas Raiders will do.
The three-day NFL draft is scheduled for April 29. The Raiders, after finishing the 2020 season 8-8, will have the 17th overall pick in the first round. But that could change if the Raiders make a deal.
The Raiders’ offense played well, so it would be surprising if they went with an offensive player in the first round.
The team will likely go with a defensive player in the first round, and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley may give his thoughts to general manager Mike Mayock and coach Jon Gruden who the Raiders should select.
The Raiders defense finished the season 25th in defense (389.1 yards per game) and the passing defense was also 25th (263.3 ypg). The Raiders’ rushing defense was 24th (125.8) and allowed the 30th most points allowed at 29.9 points per game.
Here’s what national analysts are saying:
ESPN
Updated Feb. 10
In Todd McShay’s 2.0 mock draft, he sees the Raiders going with a linebacker in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame.
Owusu-Koramoah, listed at 6 feet, 1 1/2 inches and 220 pounds, was the 2020 Butkus Award winner and an unanimous All-American. He finished with 62 tackles, 11 tackles for loss for 40 yards, 1 1/2 sacks, one interception, two fumble recovers and three forced fumbles.
“Owusu-Koramoah gives the Raiders a little bit of everything and something they don’t already have in that LB corps,” McShay wrote. “He can play off the ball in overhang, he can cover and he can rush the QB. This is a true value pick in the middle of the first round, and the Notre Dame game-breaker provides versatility to a defense that is begging for help.”
Mel Kiper Jr. posted his first mock draft on Feb. 7 and has the Raiders selecting defensive end Jaelan Phillips of Miami.
(Note: An ESPN+ subscription is required to see McShay’’s and Kiper’s full analysis.)
NFL.com
Updated Feb. 8
This site has many draft analysts, like Chad Reuter, who provided the most recently updated mock.
Reuter also has the Raiders going with Owusu-Koramoah.
“The Raiders like ‘football players’ from successful programs and are in need of more talent in the front seven. Picking JOK meets those criteria, as the linebacker lays waste to any ball carrier who enters his sights,” Reuter wrote.
It is interesting Reuter went with Owusu-Koramoah because Daniel Jeremiah, Lance Zierlein and Bucky Brooks were in agreement that the Raiders should select Owusu-Koramoah when they posted their mock drafts recently.
CBS Sports
Updated Feb. 9
Analyst Chris Trapasso believes the Raiders should stick with defense, this time going with Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore.
“Barmore would give the Raiders more interior pass-rushing juice,” he wrote.
Barmore finished with 37 tackles, including a team-high eight sacks (-42 yards) to rank second in the SEC in that category. He also had 9.5 tackles for loss (-44 yards) to go with six quarterback pressures and broke up three passes while forcing a team-high three fumbles.
He was named the defensive most valuable player in the national championship game. He totaled five tackles, including two for loss (-8 yards) and had one sack in a 52-24 win.
Josh Edwards has the Raiders going with a defensive lineman, too, but he is going with Kwity Paye of Michigan. Paye can also play defensive end.
The 6-foot-4 Paye was limited this season with a groin injury.
“Las Vegas adds some pass rush opposite Maxx Crosby,” Edwards wrote. “Kwity Paye had a high pressure rate this season and the Raiders could use it. Jon Gruden’s team ranked in the bottom five of sacks last season.”
In four games last season, Paye had 16 tackles with a team-leading four tackles for loss (18 yards). He also totaled two sacks and five quarterback hurries.
The biggest surprise in the mock draft comes from Ryan Wilson. He said the Raiders will draft a quarterback in the first round.
That QB is Trey Lance of North Dakota State. He cited the rumors floating around last week that led to his reasoning why the Raiders will go with Lance.
We don’t believe the Raiders will go with a quarterback in the first round because the primary focus is the defense.
But then again, Gruden and Mayock surprised us before.
USA Today
Updated Feb. 8
Luke Easterling doesn’t list his reasoning in his mock selections. Instead it is a photo with the players name and position listed.
Nonetheless, Easterling said the Raiders will select Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
The 6-foot-3 Parsons provided immediate results for the Nittany Lions when in just two seasons, he finished tied for seventh all-time in school history with six forced fumbles.
Parson didn’t play this past season because he forgo his junior season to focus on training for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Sports Illustrated
Updated Feb. 7
Analyst Alex Gilstrap said the Raiders will go with Paye.
“The Raiders would love to add Kwity Paye to this defense, as a versatile lineman in that 4-3 under scheme from Gus Bradley. Paye, too, has the elite traits that Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden tend to gravitate towards. For his size, they don’t make athletes as explosive as Paye,” he wrote.
Walter Football
Updated Feb. 10
Draft analyst Walter Cherepinsky often updates his mock draft and Wednesday was no exception.
Defense is on many of the analyst’s mind and Cherepinsky sees the Raiders going with Paye.
“The Raiders need to address every level of their defense,” Cherepinsky wrote. “This includes the front, which doesn’t put much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Kwity Paye has a chance to move into the upper half of the first round; he’s shown some upside in his only year as a starter.”
The Ringer
Updated Jan. 31
Analyst Danny Kelly is an agreement with other draft analysts when saying the Raiders will go with Owusu-Koramoah.
Kelly likes everything about Owusu-Koramoah.
“A fun, high-energy playmaker who should be a really nice fit in the scheme that new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will bring to Las Vegas. The Notre Dame star has the skill set to help elevate the Raiders’ overall team speed, give them a big-hitting cover guy at the second level, and make an instant impact in the unit’s blitz packages,” Kelly wrote.
San Diego Union-Tribune
Updated Jan. 27
Draft analyst Eddie Brown also has the Raiders taking Owusu-Koramoah.
“Owusu-Koramoah is an explosive athlete who can make plays from sideline-to-sideline. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year also won the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker) and was a consensus All-American,” Brown wrote.
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Raiders mock drafts: Is the defense the focus in Round 1? One analyst doesn’t think so."
