ALAMEDA -- The Raiders needed cornerback help and got some by drafting Gareon Conley 24th overall. General manager Reggie McKenzie insists he didn't select solely to fill a need.
"This was totally the draft board," he said Thursday night. "I mean, it was hands down the best player left on our board."
Head coach Jack Del Rio chipped away at that stance a bit, clearly happy to get a good player in an area where he can help right away.
"A lot of us guys say that this time of year though, don't we?" Del Rio said with a laugh. "Definitely was a happy moment for us."
Conley was a top 15 talent, with stock driving south by a sexual assault allegation made public this week that is being investigated by Cleveland. He has not been charged or arrested in regard to the April 9 incident.
The Raiders are confident he'll be cleared, leaving them with an excellent value that could provide long-term production in the secondary.
Cornerback wasn't the only Raiders need. They're in desperate need of an inside linebacker – they passed on Alabama's Reuben Foster – and could used depth at defensive tackle and safety.
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McKenzie says he'll continue to follow his draft board over reaching for a specific position. The Raiders were happy to acquire Conley, and hope more value comes their way.
"Well, hopefully there's Day 2 that will fall the same way," McKenzie said. "We're going to still follow our board. We know our needs, but, we will not let, we feel, a great player slip by just to satisfy a need. We will follow our board, that's for sure. There are a lot of good players, so we're expecting a good day tomorrow."
Matching need and value is the ultimate goal. If that occurs, expect a defensive slant to the rest of this draft. They need early impact players and depth at every level of their defense. They might consider an offensive tackle, with uncertainty at right tackle and Donald Penn unsure if he'll play beyond the 2017 season. It seems unlikely the Raiders go for a running back unless it's late, after acquiring Marshawn Lynch this week.
There's plenty of talent heading into the second round. Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham is the best inside linebacker on the board, with Florida's Alex Anzalone and LSU's Kendall Beckwith behind him. Malik McDowell and Caleb Wormley and are intriguing defensive line options. Cam Robinson is considered the best offensive tackle left on the board.