2019 NFL Mock Draft, Week 13: Jets land Nick Bosa, Raiders score big
By Randy Gurzi
3. Oakland Raiders: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
In some recent mock drafts, Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver has slipped some. That has more to do with how the order falls than his level of talent.
Take, for example, the Oakland Raiders being on the board here. Oakland needs defensive line help and if they were drafting No. 1 overall, they would most likely go with Nick Bosa.
With Bosa already landing with the Jets, the Raiders decide to grab the best interior player in this draft and wait for one of their remaining two selections to get an edge rusher.
Another reason some may think Oliver could slip may be the sideline blowup he had with head coach Major Applewhite. That took place over the coaching staff not allowing Oliver to wear a certain jacket because he was injured. While yelling on the sidelines is a bad look for any player, the staff came out looking worse because of their ridiculous rule.
On the field, Oliver is a menace. He’s one of the rare inside defensive linemen that can bring pressure as often as a great edge rusher can. Taking him here is a big step toward fixing the defensive issues for the Raiders.