Raiders Draft Picks via Special Request

Special request – Raider’s Draft Picks

By special request, here are the players that I think the Raiders should take in the draft. Having six picks in the sixth round was a lot of fun! If the Raiders can pull off some of these picks, they should be set down the road with a little help this year.

1^st round (10) - Tremaine Edmunds LB Virginia Tech – It may not be the Raider’s greatest need but it is a need and they will bring in an athletic player to bring even more swag to the defense.

2^nd round (42) – Martinas Rankin OT Mississippi State – Rankin is going to be really good and he can sit or fill in if need be. In fact, Rankin is probably ready now but it never hurts to ease a guy in. There is some definite thought with taking RB Derrius Guice here, but tackles last much longer and Rankin is getting underrated.

3^rd round (74) – Jaleel Scott WR New Mexico State – Only a one-year starter but he looks very natural as a receiver and typically catches the ball cleanly with his hands. He needs to fill out a little bit as he still looks like a basketball player with his peg legs but so did Plaxico Buress (who is the best comparison to him minus the trouble red flag). He should turn out to be the perfect complement to Amari Cooper and a great weapon for Carr. Scott could turn out to be one of those players that we look back on and wonder why he was not picked higher.

4^th round (112) – Nathan Shepherd DT Fort Hays State – Overaged and coming from a step down in competition but he has a lot of tools to work with. The other thing to consider is that he was double teamed and triple teamed in college, yet he still dominated. A good guy to bring in and put into the mix with some fragile DL on the Raiders.

6^th round (189, 197, 210, 212, 216, 217)

Dimitri Flowers FB/TE Oklahoma – It is not exactly clear as to where Flowers fits in but I could see him finding a niche as a 2^nd TE on running downs who is a perfect dump off on play fakes. He could also be a nice FB. Either way, not a flashy player, but a well-rounded player that can make a few plays a game.  

PJ Hall DT Sam Houston State – Do not sit on the fact that this guy is a little short and played for a smaller school, when you block 14 kicks and have 86.5 tackles for a loss, you are explosive. This would be a really nice spot for him.

JK Scott P Alabama – I know, punters are rarely worth drafting but Scott has a very strong leg, can kick off, and is very experienced. He has boomed some 70 yard punts and that is impressive. It would also be fun to watch a 6-6 punter in the NFL but that is not the only reason to take him.

Quadree Henderson WR Pitt – Henderson is fast and has good hands but he is very undersized. With that said, he could be a great returner and a niche offensive weapon. The sixth round is made for guys like this.

Frank Ginda LB San Jose State – Ginda is not going to ever be a star but he is assignment sure and has a knack for reading the play. Worst case scenario, he is a dynamite special teamer and best case he finds a way to be a decent starter.

Brett Toth OT Army – With so many picks here, the Raiders can take a flier on a really talented player with a military commitment. Clearly this is a pick that will pay dividends down the road but worth it here.

7^th round (231) – Michael Joseph CB Dubuque – Joseph is a real wild card in this draft. How does somebody go from not being recruited by literally any school to starring in college? I understand it is lower level but still, it is interesting. So the question is, flash in the pan or late bloomer? Either way, why not take a shot at him here. It is also possible that one of the other small school CBs falls so if Taron Johnson happens to be here, he is a better pick.

There you have it! One bonus team based on special request. If you have not read the Packer Bear Picks or Mock Draft 2.5, please check them out!