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Oakland Raiders: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft after Amari Cooper trade

By Cody Williams

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders speaks with head coach Jon Gruden during a timeout in the NFL International Series game between Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium on October 14, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders speaks with head coach Jon Gruden during a timeout in the NFL International Series game between Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium on October 14, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 08: Artur Sitkowski #8 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights throws a pass while under pressure from Nick Bosa #97 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first quarter of the game at Ohio Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 08: Artur Sitkowski #8 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights throws a pass while under pressure from Nick Bosa #97 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first quarter of the game at Ohio Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Round 1, Pick 1: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State

When you look at the Cooper trade from the Oakland Raiders, it’s ultimately defensible. A team that is clearly in need of a rebuild in their current state took a struggling wide receiver and flipped him for tremendous value, a first-round pick. That’s great in itself. What isn’t great, though, is that one reason they are in need of a rebuild is one of the most puzzling trades in recent memory, the one involving Khalil Mack.

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It’s infuriating for both Raiders fans and not to hear Jon Gruden talk about pass rushing pretty consistently. Countless times now, the head coach has talked about great pass rushers being hard to find, only he didn’t have to find anything when he came — all he had to do was work with Mack and sign perhaps the best pass rusher in the NFL and all would’ve been well.

That’s not what Gruden did and now he’s making the team in his image. And that image starts with the first-overall pick and the guy to replace Mack, Nick Bosa out of Ohio State. Though some may question his decision to withdraw instead of returning to the field from injury, the kid is protecting his future and it’s a bright one indeed.

Size, power, burst, speed, athleticism, Bosa has everything in his game right now. With an already impressive array of moves off the edge, he appears to be a player that could come in and succeed as a rusher immediately. He may not be the world-beater that Mack is, but he has the potential to be and the floor to be at least a good player. He’s the type of high-upside, high-floor guy you run to Goodell with for the No. 1 pick.

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