Raiders mock drafts: One last look at who could be wearing silver and black soon
The time is almost here.
Weeks of speculation, analysis and predictions will culminate with a dream job for some 250 football players when the 2019 NFL draft kicks off Thursday.
The Raiders will welcome three new members to the silver and black on Day 1 of the three-day event, assuming they don’t trade away any of their picks.
Oakland will select fourth, 24th and 27th in the opening round. While most draft analysts are putting the Raiders on a defensive player, one analyst has an elite offensive prospect falling to No. 4.
In all, the national panel sampled here has five possibilities for Oakland’s first choice, with the top candidates being Alabama defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
According to their draft profiles on NFL.com, Williams “is an instant starter with Pro Bowl potential. ... His play strength is good, but his lack of mass and length will show up at times against NFL competition.” As for Oliver, he’s a “twitched-up ball of explosive fury from the moment he comes out of his stance, but his lack of NFL size and length creates challenges. ... He creates early advantages but must convert them into early disruption to prevent NFL size from swallowing him.”
Here’s our final look at who analysts think Oakland will choose first:
With the fourth pick, the Raiders select ...
ALBERT BREER, Sports Illustrated (April 22): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
WILL BRINSON, CBS Sports (April 24): Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
BUCKY BROOKS, NFL.com (April 25): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
EDDIE BROWN, San Diego Union-Tribune (April 24): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
CHARLIE CAMPBELL, Walter Football (April 25): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
WALTER CHEREPINSKY, Walter Football (April 25): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
CHARLES DAVIS, NFL.com (April 23): Josh Allen, edge, Kentucky
NATE DAVIS, USA Today (April 24): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
JARED DUBIN, CBS Sports (April 25): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
LUKE EASTERLING, Draft Wire (April 23): Josh Allen, edge, Kentucky
CAM INMAN, Bay Area News Group (April 24): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
DANIEL JEREMIAH, NFL.com (April 24): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
DANNY KELLY, The Ringer (April 24): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
MEL KIPER JR., ESPN (April 18): Josh Allen, edge, Kentucky
RHETT LEWIS, NFL.com (April 23): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
TODD McSHAY, ESPN (April 25): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
MICHAEL MIDDLEHURST-SCHWARTZ, USA Today (April 22): Josh Allen, edge, Kentucky
PETE PRISCO, CBS Sports (April 25): Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
CHRIS TRAPASSO, CBS Sports (April 23): Devin White, LB, LSU
R.J. WHITE, CBS Sports (April 25): Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
RYAN WILSON, CBS Sports (April 25): Josh Allen, edge, Kentucky
This story was originally published April 24, 2019 at 4:28 PM.