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I don't like passing on Luke Joeckel, and I can justify drafting him or Fisher here. With Jared Veldheer turning himself into the Incredible Hulk in the offseason, is it wrong to wonder if he'll keep the foot quickness needed to continue to improve at LT? Or where he buys his "vitamins"? With Khalif Barnes at the other tackle, and Alex Freaking Barron backing them up, it's not like we're talking about the Four Blocks of Granite in Oakland.
I also don't like passing on a defensive tackle here, because Oakland's about as poorly staffed there right now as the Rams are at safety (or running back, or wide receiver...). The Raiders were 31st in the NFL last year with just 25 sacks, making pass rush a crying need, and if you can match one of the top players in the draft to your most crying need, you do it, so let's put Dion Jordan in Silver and Black. Oakland can play him all over the place Demarcus Ware-style, he suits well to all types of defensive fronts, he produced in college, and he's such an athletic freak he actually started at Oregon as a tight end. I can't really decide which DT to pick if I go DT here, and that is always such a bust-y position to pick this high, I'd be comfortable as Raiders GM to wait to the 2nd and 3rd rounds to pick one.
Oakland can easily afford to trade down from #3. If they're taking Jordan here, they could just as easily move down a little, take Barkevious Mingo and come out about even. Plus, Mingo ran faster at the Combine than Jordan; they still pay attention to that in Oakland, don't they? With all that in mind, my #1 move as Raiders GM right now would be to get on the phone to Miami. Not only do the Dolphins have extra second and third-round picks this year, if you're the Raiders, wouldn't you like to undermine your worst rival's efforts to trade Branden Albert? I won't plug a Miami-Oakland trade into this mock, but it would make a ton of sense.
The Eggles are on the clock!
-$-
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