One of the most common selections for the Raiders at No.4 is Michigan’s, Rashan Gary. Over the last few weeks, we have seen that selection multiple times from numerous outlets. On Tuesday, Gary was the team’s pick at No.4 in Rotoworld’s latest mock draft. Take a look at their three selections for the Raiders via Thor Nystrom:
4. Oakland – Michigan EDGE Rashan Gary
24. Oakland (CHI) – NC State WR Kelvin Harmon
27. Oakland (DAL) – Alabama S Deionte Thompson
The reasoning behind the pick is easy to understand. Gary is one of the best athletes at the defensive end and he “looks” like a top-five pick. Coming out of high school, Gary was the No.1 player in his class.
However, despite the hype surrounding Gary, the production just wasn’t there during his collegiate career. In 34 career games, Gary tallied only 23 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks. In comparison, Josh Allen, another potential pick for the Raiders at No.4, racked up 21.5 tackles for a loss and 17 sacks in 2018 alone. Gary just wasn’t anywhere near productive enough in his collegiate career to warrant a top-five selection.
While Gary certainly looks the part, his lack of production would make me nervous. When selecting inside of the top-five picks, it’s important to eliminate potential risks. Despite everything that has been said about Gary, he is too big of a risk at No.4 for the Raiders.
