Oakland Raiders: Is Montez Sweat an option at No. 4 overall?

The Oakland Raiders will likely select an edge-rusher with one of their three first-round picks. Should they consider Montez Sweat at No. 4 overall?

There’s no doubt Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat left a lasting impression in Mobile, Alabama. He just happens to play a position the Oakland Raiders desperately need to fill going into the 2019 season, but is the Senior Bowl standout worth a look at No. 4 overall?

Over the last week, Sweat exerted his power during drills — knocking offensive linemen off balance or putting them on the ground. NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks called his overall performance dominant.

Sweat likely moved into the top-15 pick range because teams will overdraft a pass-rusher if they see enough potential in his game. Last year, the New Orleans Saints moved up to No. 14 overall, trading away two first-round picks for Marcus Davenport, who logged 4.5 sacks and didn’t even start a game this season.

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At their initial spot, the Raiders won’t have to trade away picks to land their ideal pass-rusher, but it’s best general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden avoid reaching for a prospect because of need. At No. 4 overall, it’s possible Nick Bosa and Josh Allen will have already heard their names called as top-three selections.

In that scenario, does Sweat become a viable option because of his impressive double-digit sack seasons between the 2017-18 terms and a strong showing during Senior Bowl week? NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has bumped him into the top 10:

"Sweat was the most dominant guy out here on Day 1. If you had him as a late first-rounder, you need to go back and reassess your grade for him. I projected him for the late teens in Round 1 coming into this week, but that might be too low for him."

Ideally, the Raiders should try to trade back if the coaching staff targets Sweat as a solid fit in Paul Guenther’s defense. If a move isn’t possible, choosing him at No. 4 seems a bit high for a player with question marks about his bend and fluidity. NFL Draft Network’s Jon Ledyard pointed out a potential hole in the pass-rusher’s game:

"More limited than you’d like to see in this area. Hip flexibility isn’t ideal, struggles to turn tight corners and bend through contact to the pocket. High-hipped defender who can only reduce his surface area so much when cornering, has a hard time winning the corner clean unless he gets an amazing jump off the ball."

During Senior Bowl week, the practices show a lot more than one game with basic defensive schemes. However, Kansas State offensive tackle Dalton Risner fared well against Sweat—minimizing his effect off the edge. It’s not to say a lack of bend hurt the Mississippi State defensive end in the matchup, but one has to wonder how dominant he could be going up against other potential first-round talents such as Risner on a consistent basis.

Concerning Sweat’s ability to contort his body and use leverage on the edge, we’re going to see his flexibility (or lack thereof) during the NFL Scouting Combine. The drills will either expose faults in his pass-rushing moves or quell those concerns.

Leading up to the combine, Sweat certainly boosted his stock into the first-round discussion, but he’s a more of an option at No. 24 rather than No. 4 for Oakland.