With the fourth pick in the NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders sit in a very precarious position. The team has several needs across the board with wide receiver and defensive back chief among them. There are not many defensive backs worthy of a top 10 pick but there are a few receivers who are so should they select a possibly elite wideout?
There is also the argument that the Raiders should simply take the best player available. Depending on how the first three picks go, and depending on who you ask, the best player available is either going to be Amari Cooper, Kevin White, or Leonard Williams.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will likely select Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and the Tennessee Titans have been linked to Marcus Mariota. The Jaguars drafted Blake Bortles in the first round last year and expected him to play and produce with several undrafted wide receivers. Those receivers performed admirably but he needs some serious talent around him much the way Derek Carr does, leading to speculation that Jacksonville will select Amari Cooper.
If Cooper is selected with the third pick then the Raiders will have to decide between Kevin White and Leonard Williams. The former Trojan has drawn comparisons to Richard Seymour and Kevin Williams because of his size, strength, athleticism, and his ability to play both tackle and end. Williams is often described as a physical freak who can dominate opponents using his natural gifts but is still a bit rough around the edges.
The same can also be said of West Virginia’s Kevin White but there is a deciding factor between the two that must be discussed. Tradition is the lifeblood of the Raiders organization and Al Davis spent nearly 50 years of his life creating one of the most prestigious franchises in sports. Save for the last 10 or so years, the Raiders have consistently been one of the better teams in the league and have three Super Bowl rings to show for it.
Part of that success is the fact that players wanted to play for the Raiders and their desire and will to succeed in Silver and Black was just as important as their talent. Leonard Williams is one of the few prospcts in the draft to publicly proclaim his desire to play for Oakland. He grew up in Bakersfield, California as a Raider fan and wants to restore the team to its former glory.
Back in December, he told Gary Klein and Lindsey Thiry of the Los Angeles Times that he “would love to play for Oakland.”
After taking over for his father , Marc Davis and Reggie McKenzie began a process of rebuilding the culture of the Raiders. The team had fallen behind the times in recent years and much was needed to be done to bring them up to speed. Changing the culture of a franchise that has been a basement team for the last 10 years is not easy.
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Bringing in high character guys such as Charles Woodson, Justin Tuck and drafting players like Derek Carr is a huge part of that process because they set the tone for the rest of the franchise. Davis even brought in a Head Coach in Jack Del Rio who grew up a Raiders fan and respects the tradition of the team. In fact, Del Rio’s parents are still season ticket holders at the O.Co Coliseum. Leonard Williams would be yet another another piece of that puzzle.
Every prospect in the draft dreams of playing in the NFL but Williams has specifically mentioned playing for the Silver and Black as something he would love to do. Every fanbase wants to root for players who love the team just as much as they do and Williams obviously does.
All of this is backed up by the fact that Williams ha the potential to be a perennial Pro Bowler. The prospect of having a defensive line featuring Khalil Mack, Dan Williams, Leonard Williams, and Justin Tuck should make any Raider fan tremble with delight. Kevin White or Amari Cooper would be excellent weapons for Derek Carr to have but we all know that games and championships are won in the trenches so if he is available, the Raiders should not hesitate in selecting Leonard Williams.
Next: Oakland Raiders: Win-Loss Predictions For Every Game In 2015
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