Oakland Raiders: A Look At A Few Roster Needs And Potential Draft Fits
By Kevin Saito
Running Back
Whether the Raiders opt to move on from Marshawn Lynch this offseason (they should), they are going to need to eventually address the running back spot. It’s not a dire need at this point, especially since they still have Elijah Hood on the practice squad and could opt to see what they have in him.
Hood is similar to Lynch in size and running style and could work well in concert with DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard (assuming both are retained) to help Oakland’s ground game.
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Neither Richard nor Washington has proven capable of being the team’s featured back, meaning the Raiders are going to need to pick up another back – especially if they part ways with Lynch this offseason.
Given the lack of urgency at the position at this point in time though, they can afford to wait until the later rounds to address it. Which is especially important given the dire need for help at other key positions – most notably on the defensive side of the ball.
One possible name the Raiders might consider is Georgia’s Nick Chubb. At five-foot-ten, 220 pounds, Chubb has speed and power. He’s not the fastest back ever, but he’s shown that he has some burst to his game and can also run through people.
This season, Chubb ran for 1,345 on 223 carries – a 6.0 yards per carry average. He also added 15 touchdowns to his total, giving him 44 on his four-year career at Georgia. And that, while sharing time in the backfied with Sony Michel.
Given the presence of other backs who will undoubtely be taken earlier – Saquon Barkley and Bryce Love, among others – Chubb could be there for the taking in the third or fourth rounds. If he is, the Raiders should think long and hard as Chubb could team well with Washington and Richard in the backfield and give Oakland a very physical running game.
Other Possibilities: Sony Michel, L.J. Scott, Ronald Jones II