Mike Mayock continued to be active with draft trades as the Raiders had a very strong finish to the draft. Mayock added two fourth round picks allowing the Raiders to build the roster with the depth still available on day three.
The word of the day was athleticism with four of the five draft picks with high athletic upside. Let’s grade the Raiders draft picks for day three.
Maxx Crosby, DE Eastern Michigan
The Raiders started off Saturday morning drafting a defensive end with high upside by the name of Maxx Crosby. The two-time First team All conference player adds much needed to burst to slower edge rushing corps.
Crosby athletic profile is off the charts and jumped on the radar after destroying the combine. He finished in the higher percentiles in almost every category and his tape isn’t too shabby either. This was a great value pick by Mayock.
Final Grade: A
Isaiah Johnson, CB Houston
The Raiders added more depth to the cornerback room adding the highly athletic Isiah Johnson out of Houston. The long cornerback is another player with a freakish athletic ability.
While his athletic profile is extremely impressive Johnson’s film doesn’t display those attributes. He struggles in off coverage but his length can help him when playing press coverage. Also, he has to adjust to NFL rules or he will be a penalty machine. Johnson is for sure a boom or bust pick and I thought there was better corners on the board.
Final Grade: B-
Foster Moreau, TE LSU
Raiders had a small need at TE and many thought they would take one in the first round with one of their three selections. Instead the Raiders waited and landed a great value TE, Foster Moreau out of LSU.
Moreau was a player who helped himself at the senior bowl displaying his smooth route running ability during one on ones against safeties and linebackers. He then followed that up with an excellent combine where he was above 90 percentile in plenty of metrics.
Add in his ability to block, Moreau might be the steal of the draft for the Raiders and with big impact year one.
Final Grade: A+
Hunter Renfrow, WR Clemson
Mayock continued to raid the national championship drafting his third Clemson player of the draft. Hunter Renfrow was taking in the fifth round to be the future slot receiver for the Raiders.
Renfrow was the safest pick of the day because his athletic profile and tiny hands will raise fans eyebrows. With that said, Renfrow is one of the best route runners in the draft who catches everything and could become a safety valve for Derek Carr in the passing game. Renfrow could be see plenty of snaps in 2019.
Final Grade: B+
Quinton Bell, DE Prairie View A&M
The Raiders final pick of the day came back to the vision of the earlier picks on day three which is athletic upside. The Raiders took a flyer on the ultra athletic Quinton Bell out of Prairie View A&M.
Bell is an convert from wide receiver to defensive end which is something you rarely see in football at all. He dominated his pro day running and 4.3 at 238 pounds with a vertical leap of 41 inches.
This is exactly what you want from a seventh round pick and kept him seeing undrafted free agent market.
Final Grade: B+
