Oakland Raiders 2019 Mock Draft

When I look at the Oakland Raiders 2019 mock draft needs, I can’t help but think about my father’s favorite chair.

My dad passed away, recently, after a prolonged battle with cancer (his obituary went viral). Because he spent some much time unable to get up, he made sure to get a huge, overstuffed leather chair. For the last six months, most of the time I saw him in that chair, a stark difference from his usually active life.

Now that some a few weeks have passed, I’m getting over my grief. However, every time I go to his old house to do some maintenance or chores, that huge empty chair is a reminder too big to wash away on the sands of time.

Still, no matter how big that chair is, no matter how huge the hole in my heart and life is, it’s not as big as the holes in the Oakland Raiders’ defense!

My breakdown of the Oakland Raiders 2019 mock draft needs is as follows:

Edge rusher: Our defense needs to speed up the game, and with Khalil Mack gone opposing quarterbacks have had centuries to throw the ball.
Corner/Safety: We signed LaMarcus Joyner at safety, but he can’t cover the whole field.
Running Back: Isaiah Crowell isn’t going to do it. We need fresh legs to keep our defense off the field and resting.
Tight End: Jared Cook’s departure left Derek Carr without a reliable safety valve. I never thought I’d refer to Jared Cook that way.
Linebacker: For a few years we were able to get away with Khalil Mack doing double duty as LB and edge rusher. We’re not going to replace an all-league talent like his with just one player.

As mock GM, I want an edge rusher badly. Josh Allen and Nick Bosa will have an immediate effect on the game. They’ll reduce average pocket time, allowing our defense to catch a rest. Either of them would boost our whole defense.

However, most mocks have them both going before the Raiders’ first-overall pick. I don’t believe for a second that the Cardinals will draft Murray, that’s trade-bait posturing that happens every year. I want to move up.

I met with the AZ GM and negotiated a deal: Their first overall pick for our 1st and 27th, as well as a second rounder next year. We still have the 24th overall pick.

That leaves the Raiders with picks 1, 24, 35, 106, 140, 218, and 237. Let’s start the Oakland Raiders 2019 mock draft!

Oakland Raiders 2019 Mock Draft

First Round (#1 Overall): Nick Bosa, EDGE

Bosa comes from a first-round family, with both his dad and brother getting snapped up early in their drafts. The Ohio State standout is the most NFL-ready defensive player since Jadaveon Clowney. He’s not quite as explosive as other draft edge rusher Josh Allen, but Bosa is safer. When you’ve watched the Raiders butcher decades of early draft picks, I need someone safe like Disney needs to make a live-action Ducktales movie.

First Round (#24 Overall): DeAndre Baker (CB)

This is the perfect secondary player to pair with the seasoned Joyner. Baker’s strength is in route anticipation. If Gruden’s crew can utilize them effectively, they duo should be able to systematically eliminate huge swaths of the field. His tackling is efficient, rarely giving up a big play due to sloppy form. Run stoppage is his weak spot, which is tolerable: The Raiders signed veteran DL Trent Brown and released nuisance lineman Donald Penn. They need a bit more in the interior, but what do you want? A guy who covers the deep ball, stuffs runs, and reads to blind orphans at halftime? One piece at a time.

Second Round (#35 Overall): T.J. Hockenson, TE

This was the first huge stroke of luck, as Hockerson is going top 15 in many mocks. He’s got Gronk’s size, Gronk’s blocking skill, and Gronk’s big play ability. Gosh, Gronk was so good. Hockenson is 250-pounds, can run a 4.7 40-yard-dash and jump three feet off the ground. Him falling to the second round is a steal. Derek Carr won’t be missing Jared Cook for long with Hock in the seam. Plus, Cook has only had one good NFL season more than Hock, really.

Fourth Round (#106) – Joshua Jacobs, RB

This was another stunner: The highest-rated RB in the whole draft falling to the fourth round. Hock and Jacobs make me excited about the Raiders offense, with AB84 and Ty Williams catching passes this could be a top-10 offense. This is the perfect explosive back to pair with the plodding, north-south Crowell. Seriously, this would be an amazing offense. Too bad we Raiders fans live in a reality where everything always turns out awful.

Fifth Round (#140 Overall): Gary Johnson, LB

With our offense set, and Bosa and Baker giving opposing QBs short plays and bad looks, it’s time to plug the rest of the holes in our defensive wall. Johnson has the explosive potential to make an immediate impact at LB: He has a sub-4.5 40 and even won the Alabama state championship in the 100-meter dash. His problem is uncertainty in space. However, between the leadership of Joyner and the explosiveness of Bosa, there should be many ways to compensate and lower Johnson’s coverage area.

Seventh Round (#218 Overall): Carl Granderson, EDGE

What can we say about Granderson? He’s from the U of Wyoming, just like delicious Melvin beer. He’s almost six-and-a-half feet tall, which should be super-scary for QBs to see bearing down on them. This is another athletic freak who may not have the fundamentals to excel in the NFL. With the way this draft has gone, we can afford to play around an edge rusher who might not excel in space. He majored in psychology! Google exists! I hit my minimum word count!

Seventh Round Pick (#235 Overall): The Morton Salt Girl, K

Morton Salt is a versatile salt loved by chefs for its texture, ease of use, and its ability to bring out the natural flavors of food. The coarse flake crystals of Morton Kosher Salt are much bigger than regular table salt crystals, making Morton Kosher Salt easy to pinch for measuring and sprinkling. Also, the larger flakes adhere well to food and dissolve slowly, providing a well-rounded flavor. While Morton Kosher Salt can be used in many ways, it’s ideal for brining, rimming margarita glasses, as well as roasting, marinades, and rubs.