Oakland Raiders: Grading every 2018 NFL Draft pick

Grade: A

Like I said earlier, the Raiders just keep bouncing back and forth with the quality of their picks. After two awful decisions, they hit a home run in the seventh round with the selection of Marcell Ateman.

While he’ll never be a star in the NFL, he’s a big body with a wide catch radius and surprising effectiveness in traffic. The main knocks on the former Oklahoma State standout are his pedestrian speed and inability to create yards after the catch. Still, in Oakland, he can serve in the red-zone, jump-ball role with his 6-5, 215-pound frame.

The Raiders are heavily invested in upgrading Derek Carr’s band of pass catchers. They acquired Bryant and Ryan Switzer via trade, and uncovered a diamond in the rough in Ateman. Team those talents with Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, and it looks like Oakland’s passing game may actually boast some depth in 2018.

Next: Grading every 2018 NFL Draft first-round pick

Ateman is going to have to work hard just to make the 53-man roster. However, considering how many whiffs and gambles the Raiders took during the 2018 NFL Draft, I’d say they found a safe, high-value talent here in the former Cowboy.