MODS PLEASE LOCK

[laker4lifeman]

Gruden is going to be dissecting Sean's plays 24/7.

 

[raider5]

 

[njavier03]

Gruden is going to be dissecting Sean's plays 24/7.

I’m sure he already started

 

[Deleted member 185039]

They have to. Last year was a wash and they know that.

 

[njavier03]

I mean there was no way we weren’t gonna pick it up...

 

[raider5]

How do y'all feel about Mike McGlinchey?

Current rumors are the Raiders are considering him at 10, since there is a big need for a tackle and reports are there are not that many good ones this draft so the drop off is pretty drastic between McGlinchey vs the rest.

I'm still all in on defense. Give me: Roquan, Edmunds, Ward or Derwin James.

If they go Oline, I'd rather go Nelson. I know KO can play LT, can he play RT? I don't think that's an option for Penn.

 

[ThePeoplesChamp_]

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Raiders draft preview: A trade up? Bradley Chubb is a target, if they can get to him

By Vic Tafur 1h ago

7

Every year, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie or late owner Al Davis before him would raise their eyebrows and let out a little twinkle when asked if they might trade up in the first round.

Sure. Why not. Wouldn’t you like to know …

They didn’t mean it. Until now. For the first time in 13 years, the Raiders could trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. The Raiders currently pick 10th and would strongly consider moving up to No. 5 or 6 if North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb was still available, The Athletic has learned.

The top defensive player in the draft, Chubb could be gone as high as No. 2 if the New York Giants decide not to draft Penn State running back Saquon Barkley or one of the top four quarterbacks.

The Raiders apparently would not move up higher than No. 5 for Chubb because the cost would be prohibitive — both in terms of draft picks they would give up and Chubb’s slotted salary.

It’s hard to predict where Chubb goes in the top 6 because of all the intrigue surrounding the top four quarterbacks — USC’s Sam Darnold, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and UCLA’s Josh Rosen. The thirst for QBs in the NFL is so real that there is some thought that all four go in the first six picks, especially if teams trade up.

That would greatly improve the Raiders’ chances of getting a player they covet at No. 10, if they don’t trade up. Georgia inside linebacker Roquan Smith or Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick would both walk into the Raiders facility as Day 1 impact starters.

New coach Jon Gruden also wouldn’t mind trading down for more picks. As you can see the last few months, he wasn’t a big fan of the roster he inherited.

Let’s look at the four ways the draft can go — fans aren’t going to like the last one — for the Raiders in more detail:

Trade up for Chubb
If you haven’t already answered the trivia question, cornerback Fabian Washington was the player that the Raiders traded up for in 2005. They moved up three spots from No. 26 and gave up an extra fifth-round pick. The last time they traded up within the top-10 was 1997. Like this year, they also started in the 10th slot back then, and it cost Davis that pick, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to move up to No. 2 to get Darrell Russell.

We went back 10 years in the archives and the Raiders have only traded up in the first four rounds three times. In 2016, McKenzie moved up to snatch quarterback Connor Cook from Jerry Jones’ clutches — the Cowboys settled for Dak Prescott — and in 2011 and 2010, the Raiders traded up for tackle Joe Barksdale and receiver Jacoby Ford, respectively.

What’s changed? Obviously, Gruden, who has final say on personnel decisions … but Gruden never moved up in the first round in the seven years he was running the show in Tampa Bay. (Of course, Gruden didn’t have a first-rounder his first two years, in 2002 and 2003, because the Bucs had traded them to the Raiders. For Gruden.)

The Raiders just really love Chubb. What’s not to love? At 6-foot-4, 276 pounds, he has the size and quickness to routinely beat offensive linemen, as well as set the edge and help stop the running game. Chubb finished second in the country last season with 26 tackles for a loss. He passed every interview with flying colors, and is widely perceived around the league as a can’t-miss player.

The Raiders would line him opposite defensive end Khalil Mack, and then let Bruce Irvin line up behind one of them and help flush out the quarterback. That would be worth the price of moving up four or five spots in the draft, don’t you think?

Take Smith or Fitzpatrick at No. 10
There was some talk that Smith was a tad undersized at 6-1, 234, but scouts and draft experts are currently spinning that into comparisons with Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, who was 6-1, 237 pounds.

That may be a bit much — is there really a thing as too much when it comes to pre-draft ridiculousness? — but Smith does fly around in space and looks like he really enjoys tackling people. He can also cover, though that height might come into play against the league’s better tight ends.

It’s hard to picture Smith still being there at No. 10, let alone at No. 9 for the police-scanner-listening 49ers.

Which brings us to Fitzpatrick, who has a loud supporter in the war room in defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley. Ansley has a championship ring thanks in part to Fitzpatrick; the former Alabama assistant surely has told Gruden that Fitzpatrick can play slot cornerback, safety and nickel linebacker, as well as blitz and get home. (Most Raiders blitzers over the years have gotten lost or buried.)

The 6-foot, 204-pound Fitzpatrick also returned four of his nine interceptions for touchdowns.

Some detractors say he is a product of the Alabama hype machine (and pass rush), and some say he has tight hips. But those people will likely see “Coach Saban’s son,” as teammates called him, get picked before the Raiders’ turn at No. 10. He scored 30 on the Wonderlic intelligence test and has never touched alcohol or drugs.

Many “experts” have the Raiders drafting Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey if Smith and Fitzpatrick are gone, but that seems far-fetched and would be the worst-case scenario. Let’s get to the No. 3 option first.

Trade down from No. 10
I don’t get the impression that the Raiders are head over heels in love with Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea, Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds or Florida State safety Derwin James, not enough to just automatically take one of them at No. 10 if the guys they want are gone.

If one of the four quarterbacks is still on the board at No. 10, the Raiders will be in great position to trade down. I think teams would also want to move up for the 19-year-old Edmunds or James.

This is where I have been writing that targeting McGlinchey makes sense. I have him slotted to go in the 15-25 range. It’s not a good class for tackles, and the 6-8, 310-pound McGlinchey is one of three guys that I think you can project as a left tackle in the NFL. He can play right tackle for the Raiders for a year and then take over for Donald Penn on the left side in 2019.

That would be huge financially, to lock up a left tackle at a below-market price, for a team that will be strapped once Mack joins Derek Carr in the $100 million club.

And there will be other attractive trade-down targets as well. Texas-San Antonio pass rusher Marcus Davenport is raw but has size and a burst that you can’t teach.

Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward isn’t supposed to last long after No. 10, but it’s possible. And there are other intriguing cornerback prospects for a team that is stockpiling them. Central Florida’s Mike Hughes has some red flags off the field, so I would circle Louisville’s Jaire Alexander. He is coming off knee and hand injuries, but ran a 4.38 40-yard dash and makes plays on the ball.

There have been some reports that the Raiders could trade down for UCLA tackle Kolton Miller, but that might just be an agent grabbing a reporter’s keyboard. The 6-8, 309-pound Miller didn’t play well last year, and worse, you could even say he looked soft at times on game film. But he has done well in workouts since — a 10-foot broad jump! — and scouts almost fainted when they measured his arms at 34 1/8 inches and his hands at 10 3/4. (Obviously more important than the film.)

Which brings us to option No. 4 …

Pick for need at No. 10
What, you thought I was going to say pick the best player available? You probably still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too. No, no one does that, it’s just something that teams say because they like how it sounds.

So … no Chubb, Smith or Fitzpatrick and teams aren’t offering enough for the Raiders to trade down out of the No. 10 spot? Now what?

It’s actually not a bad scenario at all (with one exception).

Vea eats running backs and would provide some much-needed push up the middle and make the quarterbacks easier for Mack and Irvin to hug. (And I think he has a good pass-rush ceiling himself as well.)

There are some scouts who like James more than Fitzpatrick.

The 6-4 Edmunds could also step in at middle linebacker, like Smith, but is a lot bigger, less polished and might even project as a pass rusher down the line.

Ward might be a better prospect coming out of Ohio State than Gareon Conley, the Raiders’ first pick last year, was.

Those are all fine options.

McGlinchey at No. 10, though, would not be good value, and I don’t think it will happen, but I can’t rule it out. We have mentioned the need at right tackle this season and left tackle going forward, but what if Gruden doesn’t want to wait and see how Penn, 35, comes back from his foot injury. What if, assuming his best three options are gone, Gruden decides to just pull the trigger and plug McGlinchey in at left tackle now?

Yeah, I can’t rule it out.

One other thing to watch Thursday night is the fall of Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. He would be a good fit for Paul Guenther’s defense in Oakland, but his heart condition is scaring off at least half of the teams in the draft.

I made some Twitter bets that he falls past No. 28, at which point the Raiders — if they cleared him medically when he recently visited Alameda — should really consider trading up from No. 41 in the second round. Hurst’s 49 quarterback pressures last year were the most among draft-eligible linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.

That is, of course, if the Raiders haven’t already traded up for Chubb earlier Thursday night.

 

[laker4lifeman]

Almost in 24 hours

 

[sohi 23]

Fantastic article by Vic. Thanks for posting Johnny_Cakes

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Reppin #RaiderNation with Big Krit in Bronco Country Denver last night

 

[village1600]

Finally the day has come. I'm anxious to see what we do.

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Saw Desus rocking this on Desus &Mero the other night, had to cop to rock to the homies lil draft get together

$10 off with retailmenot discount code for anyone interested
https://www.8and9.com/collections/sweatshirts/products/power-and-respect-hooded-sweatshirt-black

 

[monstar]

Reppin #RaiderNation with Big Krit in Bronco Country Denver last night

Went to the SF concert great show as usual

Cyhi also did his thing

is our need for LT so great that we pass up on the biggest needs we've had the last 2 years? Also who is going to help get our run game back on track?

 

[albooboo]

I doubt we take the ND tackle at 10. We have have the tackle from UCLA rated higher. If we draft a tackle, I think we move back.

 

[laker4lifeman]

I definitely prefer moving back if we take a tackle.

 

[albooboo]

When Gruden made a reference to 6 players that the team like in the 1st. Here are the positions they play DL,OL,LB,DB,HB & WR.

DL- Chubb
OL- Miller
LB- smith
DB- Fitzpatrick
HB- Guice
WR - I don't know

 

[sohi 23]

I'd love Guice but he prolly won't be there when our 2nd round pick rolls around

 

[albooboo]

I'd love Guice but he prolly won't be there when our 2nd round pick rolls around

We've been contact with multiple teams to trade back.

BUF,ARI,GB,BAL & NE

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Went to the SF concert great show as usual

Cyhi also did his thing

is our need for LT so great that we pass up on the biggest needs we've had the last 2 years? Also who is going to help get our run game back on track?

Cyhi was dope

Krit had me questioning my fanhood for him tho, he told me he a Patriots fan. Told him just for that his next album im downloading it instead of buying it he laughed at my corny joke i felt accomplished for the night

 

[laker4lifeman]

Minzah hopefully please

 

[kayzeezay]

Broncos

 

[village1600]

Rip Carr

 

[kayzeezay]

RIP Donald Holdout Penn

 

[village1600]

If Roquan is gone , get Harold Landry to pair up with Mack