Oakland Raiders: 7-Round 2018 mock draft pre-Combine

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL – NOVEMBER 04: Christopher Herndon IV #23 of the Miami Hurricanes rushes for a touchdown during a game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Hard Rock Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Round 6: Christopher Herndon, TE, Miami

Jared Cook was brought over in 2017 to give a boost to the Oakland Raiders passing game. He did that by hauling in 54 passes for 688 yards and added two touchdowns. Cook should be back this season, but it’s the last year of his deal and he isn’t exactly a spring chicken either.

Oakland would be wise to invest in some youth with upside, and the NFL Draft is the best way to do that. With that in mind, they go for Miami tight end Christopher Herndon, IV. He saw his junior season cut short due to a leg injury, but still showed great improvement from his previous two campaigns.

Herndon ended the campaign with 477 yards receiving off 40 receptions and had four touchdowns. All were career highs for him.

Standing 6-4 and 252-pounds, the former Hurricane has plenty of size to play the position at the next level, but the question becomes if he has enough athleticism to excel as a receiver or awareness to be an effective blocker in the NFL.

The good thing is the team isn’t weak at this spot and Herndon showed enough route running ability as well as good hands during his time in Miami.

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