Oakland Raiders: One EDGE target in every round of the 2019 NFL Draft
By Justin Fried
The Oakland Raiders really need help at the edge rusher position as we inch closer to the 2019 NFL Draft. Here’s one EDGE target for the team in each round of the upcoming draft.
It should be absolutely no secret to team fans or the NFL world that the Oakland Raiders desperately need some pass rush help. And it should come as no surprise that the team will look to receive said help in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft.
Saying the Raiders were the worst team in the NFL at getting to the quarterback last season would be an understatement. Not just an understatement, but a gross assertion of misinformation.
Simply put, it wouldn’t tell the whole story.
The New England Patriots and New York Giants were tied for the second-worst team sack total with a lackluster 30 in 16 games. That’s an average of under two per game and, by most measures, pretty bad. But this doesn’t even compare to the sheer abomination that was the last place team’s total.
The Raiders finished dead last in 2018 with a whopping total of 13 sacks. That’s four times fewer than the Kansas City Chiefs who led the league with 52 and less than half the total of the second-worst teams. In fact, 11 individual players had as many or more sacks as the Raiders team did last season.
That isn’t just a bad season, it’s downright embarrassing.
Needless to say, the Raiders need plenty of help in the pass rush department. With eight picks in the upcoming draft, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team double-up and take multiple edge rushers with a clear need at the position.
As such, let’s take a look at one edge rusher the team could target in each round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It should be noted that the Raiders don’t have a pick in every round, but since trades could always happen, the door should always be left open and that’s exactly what we’re doing here.
The Raiders currently hold three picks in the first round of this year’s draft, but we’re going to focus on the earliest pick here. With that, the most obvious player to target is Kentucky’s Josh Allen.
Widely considered the No. 2 edge rusher and a top-five overall player in this class, Allen has the athletic potential and collegiate production you want to see from an NFL prospect. The Kentucky product put together solid sophomore and junior campaigns totaling 19 sacks over two years but decided to return for his senior season despite being considered a potential Day 2 draft pick.
The decision turned out to be the right one as Allen dominated in 2018 totaling 21.5 sacks and earning various national awards ranging from the Bronko Nagurski Trophy to the Chuck Bednarik Trophy. Allen was also selected as a unanimous All-American and named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
With Nick Bosa likely to be off the board by the time the Raiders select, Allen would be the next best option as he offers a blend of rare athleticism, positional versatility, and high-character that the team could desperately use. He could immediately step in and be a Week 1 starter at defensive end but could also be utilized as a stand-up linebacker in certain sub-packages.
He primarily played 3-4 outside linebacker during his time at Kentucky meaning he has experience dropping back into coverage as well as, of course, rushing the passer. That versatility could prove invaluable for defensive coordinator Paul Guenther‘s defense and his impressive pass rush aptitude could give the Raiders a true presence on the edge.
As for late first-rounders, the team could target a player like Clelin Ferrell as he would give the Raiders a high-floor player who would be a great fit in the team’s 4-3 defense. But since we’re talking about the No. 4 overall selection, Allen is the obvious fit.