This article is the work of Jérôme Moreau. You can follow him on Twitter @HuggyJrme to see more of his thoughts on the Raiders and what players would be the best fit.
Raiders – Specific Mock Draft
Pick Player Reasoning
| 3rd Round – Pick #95 | Alameda Ta’amu, NT, Washington, 6’2 – 348 | I’m not quite sure he’ll end up available in the late 3rd but if he does, he’s exactly what the Raiders have been needing for the last decade, a huge run stopper in the middle of that Dline. It’s about time our defense stops the run and it starts right in the middle. He’ll give us the flexibility to run multiple fronts in 2012. Plus, his name is Alameda, he was meant to be a Raider. | Clip1 |
| 4th Round – Pick #129 | Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Troy, 6’2 – 264 | My main is concern for 2012 is the Raiders ability to pressure the QB from the edges. Wimbley was our best edge rusher. None of our other DEs strikes me as a superior edge rusher. In a division with Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, we better bring the heat or they’ll carve up our coverage. Massaquoi is the first step in trying to adress the issue. He was a very productive pass rusher in 2010 with 13.5 sacks. He offers some flexibility since he could be a 3-4 rush backer as well. | Clip |
| 5th Round – Pick #148 | Donnie Fletcher, DB, Boston College, 6’0 – 201 | Our depth in the secondary seems alright as far as 2012 is concerned but there’s nothing wrong with drafting with an eye toward the future. Bartell and Spencer are both on one year deals and in their 30s, Chekwa and DVD still have a lot to prove. Fletcher is good value there and can provide depth at CB and FS. One thing who, seemingly, hasn’t changed with the new regime is the preference for taller, fast DBs. At 6’0, 201 and with 4.4 speed, Fletcher fits the bill. | Clip |
| 5th Round – Pick #168 | Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State, 6’6 – 315 | Injury concerns will make him available this late but on ability, he’s a higher pick. He played in a zone blocking scheme for his whole college career which makes him an obvious fit with the Raiders. He provides depth on the Oline with the upside to start moving forward. | |
| 6th Round – Pick #189 | Tyler Nielsen, LB, Iowa, 6’3 – 238 | The 2012 starters are probably set with the signing of Philip Wheeler but there’s absolutely no depth at the moment. Coverage was a huge problem with our OLBs the last 2 years and while Wheeler figures to be an upgrade in this area, it won’t hurt to get another LB who can cover. That just happens to be Nielsen’s strength. |
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