Oakland Raiders: Three linebackers the team can draft after the first round

Malik Jefferson, Texas

Jefferson is the perfect player for the Raiders to fill their weak side outside linebacker position with. He possesses the elite athleticism needed to wreak havoc at that position.

Malik Jefferson stands 6’3″ and 236 pounds while running a 4.52 40-yard dash. These the ideal types of measurables you hope to see in a linebacker of his magnitude.

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Coming into college, Jefferson was the top linebacker recruit in the nation, winning the High School Dick Butkus award. He came into college and was able to start immediately as a true freshman due to his elite athleticism.

His play during his freshman year granted him the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award. A concussion derailed Jefferson’s sophomore season, but he came back his junior season and had a big year, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 first team defense.

Jefferson will fall to the second, and maybe even third round because some fear he relies too much on his athleticism.

Athletic linebackers like Jefferson are important to have on any team, especially with the rise of so many dynamic running backs like Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt. You need players on your defense to counteract those types of backs, ones who are athletic enough to cover them out the backfield.

Malik Jefferson can be just that for Oakland.