The expectation for the Oakland Raiders in the 2019 draft is that the team will be somewhat safe in the first few rounds to rebuild their depth. In most of the mock drafts we have seen so far, that tends to be the case. Most mock drafters will give them at least two fairly “safe” options in the first round who will likely start right away and maybe one other “upside” pick at No. 24 or No. 27.
However, there is a chance that under Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden, they swing for the fences because of their three first-round picks. Because Oakland is in the rebuilding phase, it may be able to take chances on high-risk, high-reward players.
In a recent Sports Illustrated mock draft, the Raiders took some big swings in the first round, courtesy of Kalyn Kahler. Take a look at all three picks for Oakland in the first round:
4. Oakland: Rashan Gary, EDGE, Michigan
24. Oakland (from Chicago): Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
27. Oakland (via Dallas): Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
Michigan’s Rashan Gary is one of the most polarizing players in this draft class. He is a fantastic athlete and is expected to “wow” at the NFL Combine next weekend. However, Gary’s production is very underwhelming as he finished his career with 9.5 total sacks. At pick No. 4, taking an athletic but an unproductive defensive end seems rather risky.
At No. 24, the Raiders took another risk by selecting the explosive but injured receiver Marquise Brown. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that “Hollywood” Brown won’t participate at the combine or his pro day due to LisFranc surgery on his foot.
Brown is expected to be ready for training camp, but drafting a small and already injured receiver in the first round seems like a recipe for disaster. Brown would make some sense in the second round for the Raiders, but at 24, it just seems like a reach.
Finally, the Raiders were given running back Josh Jacobs at pick No. 27. Of the three picks, Jacobs might be the “safest” selection, despite never having a season with 900 total yards from scrimmage. He is one of the more explosive runners in the league and projects as a workhorse back in the NFL, but in the first round, it still seems a little rich.
Overall, this is just too risky of a draft for a team that desperately needs solid contributors. While each of these three players could certainly become NFL starters, there will most likely be better and safer players on the board for the Raiders will all three of their first round picks.
