Oakland Raiders: 5 Early targets for the 2019 NFL Draft
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
The Raiders don’t appear to have that reliable target downfield who can win the 50-50 ball. The same goes for when they get in the red zone. In Greg Olson’s offense, there has to be a guy who can understands how to utilize his size and make plays about the rim.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside from Stanford can do that. Whiteside has excellent hands and ball skills. At 6-2, 222 pounds he’s a strong powerful receiver with great body control and ball-skills. Whiteside has good quickness for and does a great job in and out of his breaks. Defensive backs often underestimate his speed and he makes them pay for it.
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He’s a reliable downfield target because he can get behind defenders and fight for body position and the ball. After the catch he can stick his foot in the ground and turn up. Or, he can power through defenders. In college, while at Fresno State, Derek Carr had receiver like that in Davante Adams. Giving him a similar weapon in Oakland will be beneficial.
If Whiteside runs well at the Combine, his stock can rise, so he’s an option for the Raiders if they trade down a few spots in the first round. Or, there’s a possibility he’ll be there when they pick again later in the first round.
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
The Raiders need someone on the outside with an excellent catch radius. They need a player that can develop into a true No. 1 wide receiver. Amari Cooper still hasn’t capitalized on what was a promising rookie season. Nelson is solid, but he’s not going to be around for the long haul.
The most interesting in-house case is Bryant, who could develop nicely in Oakland and play himself onto the team next season. However, with his off-field troubles, the Raiders can’t rely on him to walk the straight path. With that said, Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf should be an option for the Raiders in the 2019 NFL Draft.
What Metcalf brings to the table his size and range. He’s a big body receiver who can separate underneath and works as a reliable red zone target. In Olson’s scheme, Metcalf can experience the same success as a player coached in Jacksonville, Allen Robinson.
Like Robinson, Metcalf is a big body receiver at 6-4, 225 pounds (Robinson 6-3/220). Metcalf excels at the being able to get off press coverage and has enough speed to get behind defensive backs on deep routes. When the ball is in the air, he does a fantastic job with locating it and attacking. He’s raw, but has potential to become an No. 1 receiver in the Raiders offense.