Sunday was a great day for the Raiders for a few different reasons. They improved to 3-2 while both the Chargers and the Chiefs lost on the same day. But they also defeated the Bears, whose first-round pick the Raiders own in the 2020 draft.
While Oakland fans shouldn’t be focusing on the 2020 draft just yet, it’s always fun to look forward to some players the team could target next offseason. One such player is A.J. Epenesa from Iowa.
As a sophomore, Epenesa was utterly dominant in the Big 10, recording 16.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. He’s started a little slower this year, but he is demanding far more attention. In a recent mock draft by Luke Easterling, Epenesa was one of the team’s first-round picks. Take a look at Easterling’s thoughts on the potential pairing:
The Raiders grabbed a well-rounded edge defender with their top pick in the 2019 draft (Clelin Ferrell), but they could still use an upgrade across from him. Epenesa is a complete player with a nasty mean streak who can shut down the run and collapse the pocket.
While Oakland certainly has to be encouraged with the play of Ferrell and Maxx Crosby, it can never hurt to have too many pass-rushers. If Oakland could add a talent like Epenesa to their defensive line, it would improve the unit drastically. Look for Oakland to continue to target defensive ends this offseason and for Epenesa to be a possible selection for the Raiders in 2020.
