ALAMEDA – The Raiders used two of their top three NFL draft picks on offensive linemen. The fan base didn't love hearing UCLA's Kolton Miller announced at No. 15 overall, or the double down at No. 65 when North Carolina A&T's Brandon Parker came aboard.
Those picks sent a message loud and clear. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden didn't like his offensive tackles as a group. Upgrades were mandatory. They came early and in bulk, with athleticism to spare.
The Raiders head coach explained why on Friday night. His rationale is tough to dispute.
"I'm not going to be sad about taking two young offensive linemen with the pass rushers we have in this division," Gruden said. "This isn't 7-on-7 here. We don't get to count steamboats or three Mississippis before they rush. We need guys who can block, and we addressed that.
"We have a quarterback that I think is one heck of a football player, and we have to protect him. He has been hurt the past two years, and it bothers me."
Gruden's offense can't function without solid blocking. They have excellent on the inside with center Rodney Hudson and guards Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson.
Gruden didn't like the status of his offensive tackles this offseason or last year. This draft may not spell trouble for left tackle Donald Penn's roster spot right now – the team also added veteran Breno Giacomini -- but it signals the Raiders eye a changing of the guard in the near future. It likely spells trouble for backup developmental tackles, including those recently drafted.
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"I do know that you can't call plays without (quality) offensive tackles," Gruden said. "You need depth, and you have to be better on the edge. Without Donald Penn, and issues at right tackle, we struggled to score in the fourth quarter in some games. We just had a two day minicamp, and we're happy with how we addressed (the offensive tackle position."
The Raiders are excited about Miller and Parker, but they aren't saviors. They will need some seasoning.
"Brandon comes from North Carolina A&T and hasn't seen the high level of competition he'll see here. Kolton Miller is an underclassman," Gruden said. "We have a maturation that has to take place, but we have good mentors in place, and we have one of the best line coaches (Tom Cable) in football."
