The Raiders had six picks on the final day of the NFL Draft. With most of those selections coming the seventh round, Oakland chose to fill holes in their roster.
Oakland Raiders' Fourth Round Selection: David Sharpe
Donald Penn’s career is winding down. Their right tackle position is unset long-term, meaning the Raiders must look toward the future when it comes to the position.
Florida’s David Sharpe will get a chance to earn a starting tackle spot in time. He’s a massive individual, something offensive line coach Mike Tice prefers in his players. His long arms help keep rushers at bay, and he can block well on the move in the run game.
Analysts says he isn’t flexible or as agile as other lineman, and is better on his own off the edge than working on combination blocks.
The Raiders have great insight on Sharpe, considering head coach Jack Del Rio’s son Luke is Florida’s quarterback.
NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said Sharpe is legally blind in his right eye, a claim Sharpe disputed leading up to the NFL Draft. He called it an unfounded rumor at Florida’s pro day, saying that his vision is fine.
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Sharpe won’t be counted on to start this season, with Pro Bowler Donald Penn anchoring the left side and a trio of Marshall Newhouse, Austin Howard and Vadal Alexander compete to start at right tackle.
The Raiders have one of the best offensive lines in football, status they’d like to retain by bringing in young blood to fill vacancies when they come.
Oakland Raiders' Fifth Round Selection: Marquel Lee
It took five full rounds, but the Raiders finally drafted an inside linebacker. They don’t have a starter in the middle and have razor thin depth at that position and weakside linebacker, with Jelani Jenkins as that position group’s only experienced member.
The Raiders could’ve addressed this pressing need earlier in the draft but followed their draft board and fortified other positions instead. General manager Reggie McKenzie finally added Lee to the mix.
McKenzie was forthright with Lee regarding the lack of depth at his position, and told Lee he'll have a chance to start.
"Yeah, the general manager explained that to me, and everything and he said he wanted me to come in and compete at that spot," Lee said Saturday in a conference call. "That’s what I plan to do.”
He’s certainly the right size to play middle linebacker, at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds with long arms. He’s was a team leader in college, and analysts say he takes a disciplined approach to his craft. He’s a solid run defender and does his job creating proper run fits.
Critics says his slow to adjust to misdirection, and doesn’t play fast enough in man coverage. His speed may have pushed Lee down the draft board some, which might hinder his ability to play inside in a Raiders scheme where inside linebackers are expected to have great range in coverage.
Lee is a decent blitzer, with 7.5 sacks as a senior. He also had 105 tackles, including 20 for a loss, and three forced fumbles in his final season.
He’ll compete for a role with linebackers already here, including Cory James and Ben Heeney. The Raiders might still look for a veteran addition. That includes 2016 starter Perry Riley, who remains on the open market.
Raiders middle linebackers are asked to cover and play sideline to sideline, responsibilities Lee is ready to handle.
"I was pretty good in coverage over my years," Lee said. "Just polishing up my attack on the ball and going after the ball, I think that’s where I need to improve myself. In coverage, I mean zone dropping, I have good hips, I’ve shown that I can cover at the combine. I mean, I do any of the drills and stuff at the combine that translate to the field. I feel like I can cover anybody.”
Oakland Raiders' Seventh Round Selection: Shalom Luani
The Raiders continued adding to their secondary in the NFL draft, selecting their third defensive back in six selections. They’ve added Washington State alum Shalom Luani, a safety by trade who will be expected to contribute heavily on special teams should be make the regular-season squad.
Analysts say he’s a quality cover man who can read quarterbacks well. He excels in zone coverage and can make plays on the football.
His big problem, it seems, is consistent tackling. His NFL.com draft profile states Luani missed 31 tackles and allowed 11 more broken tackles in two seasons. He’s an aggressive player who sometimes takes improper routes on deep passes especially.
Raiders coaches consistently preach fundamentals, and will try and help him as a tackler. He’ll have to carve a role in the kicking game while developing as a defensive player.
This marks the fifth defensive player general manager Reggie McKenzie has taken in six picks.
Oakland Raiders' Seventh Round Selection: Jylan Ware
The Raiders have drafted two offensive players this year. Both have them play offensive tackle. The first came when David Sharpe was selected in the fourth round. The second came in the seventh, when they took skyscraper Jylan Ware, a 6-foot-8 big man who will join a loaded offensive front.
This small school talent has flown under the radar, though he’s an agile player who can stay with defenders. He’s also lighter than many linemen shorter than him, and needs to add bulk to keep up with strong defenders.
He’s a player who might be best served to develop and add strength with a year on the practice squad, especially on a team loaded with bodies and talent at offensive tackle.
Oakland Raiders' Seventh Round Selection: Elijah Hood
The Raiders don’t need running back anymore. Marshawn Lynch satiated that hunger. They Raiders still took a big young running back with their third selection in the seventh round. He could develop on the practice squad, with four running backs already set for the regular season.
He’ll certainly compete against some quality, including Lynch, DeAndre Washington, Jalen Richard and Jamize Olawale.
Hood’s a powerful runner at 232 pounds. He’s a big dude who can accelerate through contract and is adept at breaking tackles. NFL.com states he had 28 broken tackles over the past two seasons. He’s a solid pass protector, something important in the Raiders scheme. Analysts say he blocks well enough that he could end up as a fullback.
He doesn’t have great speed in open space, and isn’t terribly elusive as a runner. He could be effective behind the Raiders offensive line, and could be useful in the red zone or in short yardage situations. That won’t be when Lynch is in the fray, but possibly down the road. He could be injury protection throughout the preseason.
Oakland Raiders' Seventh Round Selection: Treyvon Hester
The Raiders’ added yet another big defensive tackle to the roster with their fourth and final pick in the seventh round. Toledo’s Treyvon Hester was the selection, another powerful gap controller, who can break into the backfield with regularity at the college level.
Analysts say he has active hands that help him beat blockers. Critics say his motor can run out during longer plays, and may not have quality pass-rush ability.
He could develop into a rotational piece on the defensive interior, and he’ll have a chance to compete for a 2017 roster spot. Several lower-round or undrafted talents have contribute there, and Hester will certainly try to add his name to that list.
