The Oakland Raiders have wrapped up the 2019 draft and have drawn rave reviews for their picks. Despite a shaky Day 1, many across the league are giving Oakland passing grades because of the number of quality players the team grabbed on all three days of the draft.
On NFL.com, draft analyst Chad Reuter have the Raiders a “B+” after crushing the second and third day of the draft. Take a look at his explanation of the grade below:
Draft analysis: They started the day with their highly publicized three first-round picks, including two received in trades for veteran players (edge Khalil Mack to Chicago; WR Amari Cooper to Dallas). Ferrell is a good player, and it’s not surprising the team felt pressure to replace Mack. Ferrell was the next best pure front-four pass rusher on the board after No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa, but he came off the board well before most people expected.
The Jacobs selection at No. 24 was not a surprise, not only due to his immense talent but also the retirement of Marshawn Lynch. Abram is a very good safety who brings pop and quickness to the secondary. He will be a leader for the Raiders in the future and it won’t be surprising if former first-round pick Karl Joseph is traded to make room for him on the field. Oakland had only one pick on Friday night, but used it on Mullen to address a big positional need.
Oakland found a high-effort pass rusher in Crosby in the fourth round, as well as an athletic, raw, quick-footed corner in Johnson. Moreau is the receiving tight end the Raiders needed, and Renfrow will be a long-time inside receiver in the league.
If Clelin Ferrell can prove to be as good as Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock believe, this draft will be a home-run. Oakland did a great job of grabbing quality players at their biggest needs, who can provide leadership going forward. It will be fascinating to follow this class in 2019 and beyond.
