Oakland Raiders: Terrill Hanks an ideal 2019 NFL Draft target in late rounds

New Mexico State linebacker Terrill Hanks has turned heads during Senior Bowl practices. How could he improve the Oakland Raiders defense as a late-round steal?

In recent drafts, under former general manager Reggie McKenzie, the Oakland Raiders have waited until Day 3 to draft off-ball linebackers, but the strategy has yielded little results.

Going into the 2019 offseason, the Raiders need a second-level defender who’s agile, decisively diagnoses plays and equipped to drop into coverage on passing downs. With head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock running the show, we could see the Silver and Black take a linebacker in the early rounds. If not, they can land a late-round steal from a small school.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah compared New Mexico State product Terrill Hanks to Indianapolis Colts rookie All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard:

"His speed has jumped out in both of his practices this week. I see some similarities to Colts All-Pro rookie Darius Leonard in terms of production and body type. Leonard’s rise began at the Senior Bowl last year, and Hanks is picking up where Leonard left off here in Mobile."

As a freshman, Hanks lined up as a safety and logged 81 total tackles, 6.5 resulting in a loss and three interceptions. He moved to linebacker and recorded 100-plus tackles in three consecutive terms. As a junior, the versatile defender sacked the quarterback seven times.

After four years on the collegiate level, Hanks amassed 43.5 tackles for a loss, 14 pass breakups, 11 sacks and eight interceptions. Despite the bold comparison, it’s clear why Jeremiah saw the New Mexico State product in the same light as Leonard; both can affect the game in a variety of ways on any given down.

At this point, it’s unlikely Hanks becomes a second-round pick like Leonard, but a strong showing during the Senior Bowl Game could elevate his draft stock. Gruden should pay close attention to the school-school linebacker because his defense needs a player with that skill set. The Raiders must acquire an asset capable of shadowing tight ends in the intermediate passing lanes and able to exhibit reliable tackling against the run.

Tahir Whitehead and Marquel Lee can certainly play downhill against ground attacks but defending the pass isn’t their strong suit. In today’s league, teams look to isolate playmakers in space.

The Raiders can’t fall behind the competition with linebackers who struggle to cover the middle of the field. In base formation, Hanks would fit as a weak-side defender. His background as a defensive back would allow him to make plays in the frequently used nickel package.