Round 3, 81st Overall: Evan Weaver, LB, Cal
The Raiders made significant strides toward rebuilding a poor linebacking corpswhen they addedCory LittletonandNick Kwiatkoskiin free agency. However, the departure ofTahir Whiteheadto the Carolina Panthers still leaves a hole at the position.
Evan Weaverwould be an excellent fit at pick No. 81. While some sites have given Weaver afourth-round grade, I fully believe that he is worth a look in the third round.
While he lacks the overall athleticism to become a perennial All-Pro, Weaver has a very distinct skill set. He excels at pursuing and bring down the ball carrier.
The former Cal star has excellent football IQ and instincts for the game. He should be a proficient middle linebacker at the NFL level.
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Round 3, 91st Overall: Thaddeus Moss TE, LSU
Thaddeus Mossis another player with afourth-round grade. However, much like Weaver, he has the upside to warrant earlier consideration.
Casual football fans will recognize Moss for his role in LSU’s 2019 National championship and for his pedigree as Hall of FamerRandy Moss’ son. To be clear, Moss is not the same level of talent as his father. He lacks the top-end athleticism to be a consistent threat in the passing game.
However, Moss is quite skilled in two key areas — as a possession receiver and as a blocker. He has good size and strength for his position. He projects to be a key component of a pass or run blocking scheme.
He also skilled at using his power to box out defenders in short passing situations. What he lacks in his ability to create space, he makes up for by shielding opposing players from the ball.
He would be an excellent option to boostJosh Jacobsand the run game, while simultaneously providing Carr with a safety value on third down or in the red zone. As an added bonus, he would benefit tremendously from the chance to learn from a similarly skilled veteran likeJason Witten.
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