Oakland Raiders Could Make An Interesting Choice In The First Round

The Oakland Raiders have a lot of options when it comes to the fourteenth pick in this year’s draft – and they could make an interesting, somewhat unexpected choice with it.

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Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie is coming into this draft with something he hasn’t had before in his tenure with the team – flexibility and options. In prior drafts, he’s had to use his picks on guys he believed could be the foundation the team was going to be built upon. And he’s had some success with it as the Raiders are now a team that many believe will be a force to be reckoned with. Now comes the fine tuning portion of the rebuilding process and with McKenzie holding the fourteenth overall pick, he’s got some different ways he can go.

For all of their upgrades at key positions during the free agency period, the Raiders still find themselves in need of an inside linebacker – one who is equally as good covering the run as well as the pass – and a safety to replace the retired Charles Woodson.

And a name that has been popping up recently in connection with the Raiders – and one that could potentially help them at either spot – is USC linebacker/safety Su’a Cravens.

Cravens made the interesting decision – or rather, his agent made the decision – to skip any and all private workouts after USC’s pro day and his combine performance – including one with the Raiders.

Not that you can really blame the agent for protecting his client. Everything teams need to see from him can be seen on film, could have been seen at the Combine, or at his pro day. Additional workouts increase the possibility of injury. And with Cravens projected as a low first round or early second round pick, there isn’t much to be gained. So, it’s understandable that he’d tell McKenzie – and every other team interested in him – thanks, but no thanks.

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McKenzie and the Raiders though, will not be deterred. Neither will some additional teams wanting to talk to Cravens. Though he refused to to additional workouts, there are a number of teams who have pre-draft sit downs scheduled with him. The Raiders among them.

Clearly, they’re interested in him. Or at least, they’re giving the perception that they are.

And why wouldn’t they be? Cravens had a very solid, All American career at USC where in three seasons, he notched 207 tackles (134 solo), 34.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and nine interceptions.

He has been flying somewhat under the radar for a lot of people. A lot of draft analysis, such as the one on CBSSports.com have him slotted in as a linebacker. On that board, Cravens is just the sixth best linebacker – and fifty-seventh best prospect overall – on the board.

But scouts have a different view and one that could make him much more attractive to the Raiders. Many scouts out there seem to be slotting him in as a safety at the NFL level. Which, given his size – 6’1, 225 lbs. – Cravens would do just fine at. He has strength, size, speed, and length – which all translate well to Ken Norton Jr.’s aggressive, attacking defense. At least, the one he’s trying to build. And he’d get there pretty quickly with players like Cravens on the roster.

McKenzie and HC Jack Del Rio seem to be intrigued by Cravens. He’d be a good fit in the defensive backfield and would give them a long, fast safety with great instincts, a nose for the ball, and a big hitter.

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Most see Cravens going in the low first round, high second. But there is no guarantee that Cravens will be on the board when the Raiders are picking in the second round (forty-fourth overall). Given their absolute need for a strong, physical safety who seems ready to play at the next level, Cravens could be just the sort of player they’re looking for.

And he could be worth investing that first round pick on.

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