Oakland Raiders: Five First Round Scenarios That Make Sense

T.J. Green – S, Clemson

Green is a guy who has really seen his draft stock skyrocket the past few weeks. Originally thought of as a day two, perhaps even day three prospect, he’s now projecting, according to some mocks to go late first round, early second round.

The Raiders smartly signed Reggie Nelson this offseason to shore up the safety spot in the wake of Charles Woodson‘s retirement. But Nelson is a one or two year stopgap measure. Which means, McKenzie and the Raiders still need to find a long term solution at the safety spot.

With Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey almost assuredly off the board when Oakland makes their pick, one interesting possibility is drafting Clemson’s Green instead. At 6’2”, 205 lbs., he’s got terrific size. And after clocking an impressive 40 time of 4.34, he’s got more than enough speed to cover a lot of ground very quickly.

Related Story: Worst First Round Picks In Franchise History

Last season, Green posted a team leading 95 tackles – 5.5 for a loss – had an interception, broke up three passes, and forced a pair of fumbles. He was one half of one of the best safety tandems in all of college football last year.

The downsides to Green however, are the fact that after converting from wide receiver after his freshman season, he was a starter for only a year, meaning there isn’t a lot of tape on him. But in that one year as a starter, he certainly made an impression and helped make Clemson one of the nation’s best teams.

There is no doubt that Green has the raw skills. He needs refinement. He needs time playing behind experienced players to learn the game – which, given the fact that the Raiders have Nelson and Eric Allen in their defensive backfield, is something they can allow him to do.

Green says he patterns his game after Kansas City’s Eric Berry – if the Raiders can give him the time to develop into a player like Berry, they’ll be set at the safety spot for a while.

Next: A Few Final Thoughts