The top 5 pick that surprised a whole lot of analysts that covered a lot of mock drafts prior. So, this is the reason why Gruden and Mayock sent their scouts home? I got a chance to see Ferrell play against Alabama in the National Title game. I was paying close attention to he and Quinnen Williams as I thought the Raiders would get both players back-to-back. Not the case today as the Jets took Williams at #3. Clelin Ferrell is not a bad player. He was key in disrupting Alabama's offense and not allowing Tua Tagovailoa to turn loose as the Tigers rolled over the Tide that game. Then again, that Clemson D-line was stacked with all kinds of talent and Ferrell without question is a 1st round talent. He's ranked as a top 10 DE/EDGE rusher in this draft. High character, coming from a military family. He's exactly what the Raiders needed to shore up the pass rush that was non-existent since they gave away Mack to Chicago. The only problem is that he was taken a little too early. Most mock drafts had him as a mid-late 1st rounder. Again, I thought the Raiders would've used their late 1st round picks to get him or they could've traded down and he still would've been on the board. Bosa went at #2. Williams at #3. The top defensive prospects are gone, so why not trade down, accumulate more picks, and still get Ferrell? Another thing is that other top prospects like Josh Allen out of Kentucky was still on the board. But, the Raiders selected Ferrell because he's a better scheme fit. The number one rule for teams with a top 5 pick is that you use that pick for a need. You use it for an impact player that can help right away, hence why I and along with a few others were stunned that they reached for Ferrell this early. Like I said, he's not a bad player. He's just overvalued for a #4 overall pick. Inserting him with Hurst, Hall, and Key on that D-line is going to be Paul Guenther's big project. That line is filled with a lot of promise and unknowns.
From the Khalil Mack trade obviously. There's a lot of uncertainty at the running back position with Marshawn Lynch retiring (again) and Doug Martin remaining unsigned (like the Raiders need him). They did sign Isaiah Crowell this offseason to address RB. With this selection, they might potentially have added their bell cow back of the future. I didn't get to see much of Josh Jacobs in the championship game vs. Clemson. Alabama got destroyed so they couldn't rely on the running game too much. But from what I've heard and looking at his highlights, he's versatile and can fit in a zone or power scheme. He's shown some flashes as a solid pass catching back, has a nose for the end zone, and possesses some good speed when he hits one big hole. He's pretty shifty with his feet as well. Given that and his pass catching ability, I'm probably assuming that Josh Jacobs is more of a scat back. He's definitely a perfect replacement for Beast Mode since Marshawn is a similar runner. The only knock on Jacobs is that Alabama's running backs are hard to trust when they go to the NFL. Think Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry (TBD), etc. Alabama RBs have been on a downward trend lately and many are figuring out that they're byproducts of Alabama's pro-ready O-line. Nonetheless, The competition at RB is heating up with Jacobs and Crowell expected to be #1 and #2. And then Richard, D-Wash, and CW III (Chris Warren III) projected to fight for that #3 spot.
I initially projected the Raiders to go defense heavy with all three of their first round picks. I wouldn't be surprised if they used one of those picks to get a DB. And they did address that with their last pick of the draft. Last year, the Raiders' secondary started to turn the corner. Karl Joseph broke out since taking over for Reggie Nelson. Gareon Conley was finally 100% and showed some flashes of being a shutdown corner. Thank goodness they didn't bring back old-@$$ Reggie Nelson and signed LaMarcus Joyner from the Rams. I'm being a little off topic here, so let's go back. The Raiders select Johnathan Abram. He was the leading tackler in the SEC Conference. He's a hard-hitting safety that excels in whenever Mississippi State's defense stacks the box. He's also a versatile safety, able to play both Free, Strong and can easily be plugged into playing as a nickel corner. I'm not sure if this pick indicates that the writing is on the wall for Karl Joseph. He's a free agent by season's end. We'll see what happens. But, the Raiders are stacking a lot of depth in the secondary. They're deep especially at the Safety position with Joseph, Joyner, Erik Harris, Curtis Riley, and now, Johanathan Abram.
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