Leonard Williams Should Top Oakland Raiders 2015 Draft Board
By Kevin Saito
The Oakland Raiders hold the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft which leaves them plenty of options. There is plenty of talent in the top ten of this year’s draft class, and the Raiders have plenty of glaring needs on both sides of the ball. And there will undoubtedly be plenty of suitors willing to throw in a couple of extra picks for the chance to move up to the number four position.
While there are plenty of tempting scenarios, Oakland must be smart with the pick and draft to their biggest area of need – which means taking USC’s Leonard Williams.
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It’s likely not a popular position to take with many across the broad Raider fan base. Indeed, there is a large segment who believes Oakland would be best served by taking Alabama’s Amari Cooper should he be available at number four – though you can obviously count ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith out of that segment.
While Cooper is an unbelievable talent, coming off a monster year (124 receptions, 1,727 yards, 16 touchdowns), his size (6’1”, 210 lbs.) could be a bit of an issue. There is no doubt that he can stretch the field, but is he the true number one receiver the Raiders have been lacking for so long? Does his size become a liability in matching up with some of the big, physical corners that are so prevalent throughout the league today?
The fact that this year’s draft class is rich and deep with receiving talent should hopefully persuade GM Reggie McKenzie and the Raiders that they can wait to take a receiver. Instead of taking a receiver at number four, the Raiders should strongly address their needs on defense and take Williams.
If there was one constant theme to the Raiders’ 2014 season, it was the inability of their defense to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and their inability to play strong run defense. Time and time again, the Raiders gave up gaudy numbers to opposing running backs or were picked apart by opposing quarterbacks – even second tier QB’s like Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Adding Williams to a defensive front that includes Khalil Mack and Justin Ellis – both named to the PFWA All-Rookie team – Justin Tuck, and Sio Moore would give them a strong and imposing presence. And if they were able to add Ndamukong Suh to that defensive front, the Raiders might have one of the most fearsome and intimidating defenses in football.
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At 6’5”, 300 pounds, Williams is a big body whose motor never stops running. He’s ranked at or near the top of most draft projection boards at his position, and will undoubtedly be a first round pick. NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently called Williams the most “dominating player” he’s seen in the draft process so far.
“Everything you want — the size, the length, the explosiveness, the versatility. You can play him all over the line on defense. He reminds me a lot of Richard Seymour. That’s pretty good company to keep.”
Being able to add a talent like Williams will help bolster a Raiders defense that ranked at or near the bottom of most major statistical categories. And oh yeah, best of all, he wants to play for the Oakland Raiders. That’s not something year hear a lot from players these days.
A strong defensive front, one that can stuff the run, as well as terrorize opposing quarterbacks, will pay huge dividends for the Raiders. Especially for a young, still developing Raiders defensive backfield. Though Travis Carrie and D.J. Hayden have both showed flashes of greatness, they need to learn to be a little more consistent. And that will only come with experience – an developmental period that would be made a lot easier with a dominating defensive front.
Defense wins championships. It’s a saying about as old as football itself. But if you doubt that proposition, just ask the Seattle Seahawks what they think about that. In a matchup of the NFL’s number one offense in the Denver Broncos versus the league’s number one defense, it was the Seahawks that the ferocious defense that came out on top after destroying Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
This year’s draft features plenty of receivers who can make a big impact with the Raiders’ offense. The wideout spot can also be addressed through free agency as there are a number of marquee receivers set to hit the open market in March.
With a defensive minded head coach in Jack Del Rio, the Raiders must avoid the temptation to select Amari Cooper if he is still on the board at four, and draft Williams (assuming he’s available) to strengthen a defense that desperately needs it.
A special talent like Williams doesn’t come around that often. McKenzie must display the savvy he’s shown – in fits and spurts – over the last two drafts. If he’s available, there is no more obvious choice than Leonard Williams at four for the Raiders.