Oakland Raiders: Grading the 2019 NFL Draft class
By Justin Fried
Round 1 (27th Overall) — Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
The Raiders shifted back to the defensive side of the ball with their third and final first-round pick. In doing so, they opted to select hard-hitting safety Johnathan Abram marking their second consecutive SEC draft pick.
Taken at surface level, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the selection of Abram at this slot. The Mississippi State product was considered to be one of the top safeties in this class and his no-nonsense, physical demeanor made him one of the most feared defenders at the collegiate level.
As a whole, Abram is a very good safety prospect. But he might just not be the best fit for the Raiders.
While Abram should be a good player in the NFL, it could be argued that the Raiders would have been better off taking a different type of safety at this slot. With Karl Joseph still under contract — for now — the team would have been wiser to draft a safety with more range and coverage ability.
More from Las Vegas Raiders News
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- Raiders: Bryan Edwards out, Henry Ruggs doubtful for Sunday
- Raiders: Damon Arnette re-injures thumb, could be headed to IR
- Raiders fall short in letdown Week 3 loss to the New England Patriots
- Raiders: Game breakdown and prediction for Week 3 at New England Patriots
This isn’t to say that Abram can’t cover, more so that it’s just not his strong suit. He thrives when asked to play near and around the line of scrimmage where he can make plays in run defense and be used as a bump-and-run type coverage safety.
The problem is, Joseph already occupies a similar role.
Now, Joseph likely isn’t long for Oakland as the team officially opted not to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract. But that doesn’t change the fact that the team is still in need of a rangier, free safety type as opposed to the skill set Abram brings to the table.
A player like Delaware’s Nasir Adderley or even Virginia’s Juan Thornhill would have been a better fit for the team, albeit perhaps a slight reach.
This is a case where the talent isn’t the issue, but the fit is. And for that reason, the grade ultimately suffers.