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Oakland Raiders Must Target DT Sheldon Rankins in 2016 NFL Draft

By Dan Schmelzer

Oct 3, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals defensive end Sheldon Rankins (98) chases Syracuse Orange quarterback Terrel Hunt (10) during the fourth quarter of a game at the Carrier Dome. Louisville won the game 28-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals defensive end Sheldon Rankins (98) chases Syracuse Orange quarterback Terrel Hunt (10) during the fourth quarter of a game at the Carrier Dome. Louisville won the game 28-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Oakland Raiders are a franchise heading in the right direction. Adding Sheldon Rankins to the mix with the 14th overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft would be another positive step for the team moving forward.

By simply selecting the best player available over and over again, general manager Reggie McKenzie has done a fantastic job of rebuilding the Oakland Raiders through the draft.

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The Raiders landed LB Khalil Mack and QB Derek Carr in the first and second round in 2014, followed up by WR Amari Cooper and DL Mario Edwards in the first and second round in 2015. Add in some smart and aggressive free agent additions and later round selections, and the Raiders have built an impressive young core of players to build around.

Now, holding the 14th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Raiders will look to do more of the same. Instead of reaching on a need like cornerback or inside linebacker, McKenzie and the Raiders need to stick to their strategy of taking the best available talent on the board. With such a deep and talented roster, reaching for a need would be absolutely foolish.

Based on the most recent projections, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is going to be one of the best players available when the Raiders go on the clock at number 14. With a strong unit built around Mack, Edwards, Bruce Irvin, Dan Williams, Aldon Smith and Justin Ellis, defensive line is far from the biggest need for the Raiders.

That being said, Rankins is an extremely talented player who has a knack for creating pressure on the quarterback from the interior. Finding a place for a productive player like him would not be difficult.

Rankins is a bit under-sized for the defensive tackle position (6-foot-1, 299 pounds) and he does not have ideal length (33 3/8″ arms), but he simply shows up and dominates when it matters the most.

Rankins couples an explosive first-step with an impressive overall combination of power and quickness. Despite not having the longest arms, Rankins does a fantastic job of using his hands to keep the offensive lineman off of him.

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He is a dynamic pass rusher from the interior and a force to be reckoned with against the run. With comparable skills to All-Pro players like Aaron Donald and Geno Atkins, Rankins is best suited as a three-technique defensive tackle at the next level.

That being said, he does show scheme versatility with the ability to play inside or outside in a 3-4 defense. That would probably not be the best use of his talents, but would certainly come in handy for the Raiders who frequently switch fronts.

Rankins is an extremely talented player who could fit in to the mix with any NFL team. The Raiders already have an incredible pass rush with Mack, Irvin and Smith ready to do some serious damage rushing from the outside. That being said, if they were to add Rankins to the mix on the interior, their pass rush would be near-impossible to block on a consistent basis.

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If he is available when they come on the clock at number 14, the Oakland Raiders need to make Sheldon Rankins their next great draft day decision.

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