When the Oakland Raiders selected safety Johnathan Abram with the No. 27 pick in the draft, many thought it was too much of a luxury selection. The team already has Karl Joseph on the roster, and he and Abram play the same position.
However, with Joseph’s contract up at the end of the 2019 season, the Raiders needed a to find his eventual replacement. They decided that the strong safety position was important enough on their roster to warrant using a first-round pick on Abram.
Like Joseph, Abram is significantly better when he is closer to the line of scrimmage. According to Pro Football Focus, Abram finished his collegiate career with a grade of 64.4 at free safety and 79.3 at strong safety.
Abram is going to need a lot of seasoning in coverage. He’s adequate when asked to follow running backs or tight ends, but anything else can be a disaster. As a rookie, look for the Raiders to get Abram on the field on early downs where he can be used as a run-defender or as a blitzer.
The Raiders would be wise to find a way to use both Joseph and Abram in 2019 as they ease the rookie into his eventual starting role. However, don’t be surprised if Oakland gives Abram the reins to the job in Year 1.
