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Oakland Raiders: Best option with the 4th pick?

By Dan Salem

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The Oakland Raiders are seated fourth at this year’s NFL Draft, potentially the best pick of all. Will they snatch a game changing talent, trade, or play it safe and concede? Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

DAN:

The upcoming NFL Draft is a bevy of debate, with two star quarterbacks and lots of talent near the top of the draft. Yet the teams themselves, and the men in the war room, are the best fodder.

I’m passing by the top three picks for now, focusing my glare at potentially the best and most volatile pick of 2015. With pick number four, the Oakland Raiders have their work cut out for them. What are the Raiders best options?

If either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota are still on the board when the Raiders go on the clock, I expect a trade. Oakland has an excellent young quarterback in Derek Carr, entering his second season behind a solid rookie year. They could easily trade back to pick six or seven and still draft the same player they covet at four.

The smart money is on Oakland drafting a wide receiver with their top pick. But now is the perfect time to bring in a stud defensive end to learn behind the veteran presence of Justin Tuck. There just so happens to be two standouts at that position as well.

What are the Raiders best options with the fourth pick?

Dec 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

TODD:

Four is an interesting spot for Oakland. I guess we are playing under the assumption that all of Winston, Mariota and Leonard Williams are gone in this spot. If not, the Raiders should take Williams as he is the best pure player in this draft or, I agree, trade back to someone who covets the quarterback remaining.

But assuming those three players are off the board, Oakland’s turn comes down to just two players in my mind, and they both happen to play the same position: Amari Cooper and Kevin White.

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Cooper and White are both excellent wide receiving prospects, leading a very deep class at the position. According to scouts, Cooper is the more polished piece, but White possesses the higher upside. Cooper is the route runner who can come in week one and be the team’s number-one option. In my mind, the Alabama product would be the top Raider receiving threat as soon as he steps foot in the facility.

White though has the size and explosion that can’t be taught. He’s only had one great college season, but combined with his measurables, White is a supreme talent. The drawback is it might take him two or three seasons to get acclimated with the pro game. It’s also possible that he never pans out. After all, he played in a high-powered offense at West Virginia and just has the one season of proof of his production capabilities.

Cooper is the safer pick; White is the upside pick.

Both guys could/should be tremendous wide receivers in the NFL. Based on past experience and how the organization operates, it seems blatantly obvious that Oakland’s pick will be White. The Raiders are always swooned by the blazing 40 times and off-the-chart athleticism of prospects. That is White. Of course, it’s not a mistake to do so this time. It is simply a matter of preference. In fact, White may be the smarter pick for a team in Oakland’s position.

If the Raiders were just one player away from contending, Cooper becomes a better asset, but they’re not. Thus White can grow with the rest of the team, namely Carr.

Next: Should the Raiders sign Michael Crabtree?

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