Oakland Raiders: Six most logical targets with the tenth-overall pick

Vita Vea (DT – University of Washington)

Same deal as with Payne – Vea can provide the sort of dominant run stuffing/pass rushing combination this Raiders line needs.

Some are clamoring for the Raiders to take Michigan’s Maurice Hurst – and while that might not be a bad pick, Hurst’s size (six-foot-two, 282 pounds) isn’t ideal. He’s incredibly fast off the ball and uses that to his advantage. But, he also has the potential to get absolutely eaten up by big, fast, strong, NFL lineman.

Vea has elite athleticism for his position and was one of college football’s best, most dominant tackles with the Huskies. At six-foot-four, 347 pounds, he moves like somebody half his size and proved himself versatile enough to play inside, or athletic enough to play on the edge.

That said, most scouts believe Vea would thrive most with a team that runs a 3-4 alignment and Guenther runs a base 4-3. Which might make Gruden and company more likely to take Payne over Vea (if he’s available, and if they’re taking a DT at ten).

That’s not to say Vea wouldn’t do well in a 4-3 set. He’s versatile enough to play in either alignment, but it might be a little more natural for Payne.

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With Vea lined up alongside Ellis, the Raiders might have one fo the more dominant set of interior defensive linemen in the league. The run stuffing would be elite, and with Vea’s athleticism, they could really push the pocket and give the Mack/Irvin combination the help they need to develop a fearsome pass rush.

Payne might be the better fit for Guenther’s defense, but they probably can’t go wrong with either him or Vea. Both are elite and both will step in and contribute from day one.

Likelihood: 9/10