Oakland Raiders: Assessing the probability of a few first-round options
By Kevin Saito
Given his size (six-foot-six, 264 pounds), speed (4.58 in the 40), strength (22 reps in the bench), and a host of other traits, Davenport has been shooting up plenty of draft boards. He’s created a tremendous amount of buzz and many have him going to a team in need of a pass rusher in the first round.
And, it just so happens that the Raiders are in dire need of a pass rusher to bookend with Khalil Mack.
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The Raiders desperately need somebody who can occupy blockers – or take advantage when Mack is being double and triple teamed. As of now, they have nobody who can consistently put pressure on the passer other than Mack.
Davenport’s blend of size, speed, and power, likely has Gruden and McKenzie giving some serious thought to him at ten.
The problem though, is that Davenport, for all of his physical gifts, has yet to play high level competition. He put up some eye-popping numbers at UTSA, for sure. But, the level of competition he faced in Conference USA isn’t the same as the level of competition in say, the SEC. Or even the level of competition in the Pac-12.
Not to disparage him in any way, but Raiders linebacker James Cowser put up some incredible numbers at Southern Utah. His impact in the pros though, to this point, has been negligible.
It’s not an apples to apples comparison, of course. But, the storyline is similar. They’re both huge standouts from small schools and faced inferior competition.
There are also some real and valid criticism from scouts about Davenport. They say that although he’s showed plenty of flashes, he has yet to establish himself as a “consistent menace,” that he needs to improve if asked to drop back, and has to do a better job of getting his hands and feet working together, among other things.
He’s a freakish athlete, to be sure. He’s also going to be a bit of a project. Though he has a ton of upside, the dividends he pays now may be negligible. He might not be the plug and play dominant player some thinks he is.
Still – the question is, will Gruden and McKenzie fall in love with his athleticism and potential?
If they trade back, to say Arizona at 15, they very well might have Davenport in their sights.
Probability: Better Than Average, Nowhere Near A Lock